Our armed forces are at capacity An admirable story of improvement, dedication and delivery. And not only in the military field, but also in the sports field, it also represents the highest values that any athlete should possess.
In the army, as throughout the Spanish Armed Forces, there are those who combine their professional activities with physical practice, going beyond the requirements of instruction and training, or maintaining the psychophysical conditions required for their work. Even if they don’t get the recognition of civilian stars, they are truly elite athletes. The different units of the Spanish Army enjoy great popularity in international missions, but few know about their illustrious history of winning medals and awards in countless sports. Brutal competitions such as football, triathlon, jiu-jitsu, dressage, kayaking or Spartan races are all part of their achievements.
But for some, sport is not just a subject to succeed in, but a new life.The situation is like this Army Commander Sanchez said the Army has a responsibility to remember this week on its social networks.
And there are quite a few. Doctors gave him less than a year of hope after he contracted hepatitis C while on international duty as an Army commander in 2013. Ten years later, former commander Carlos Sánchez Montes declared himself Spanish runner-up javelin. After having to leave the army, discipline became his “second life.”
“The doctors told me that I would only live for a year at most. I knew very well that I was going to die,” Carlos Sánchez Montes recalled sincerely and powerfully in an interview with Antena3 in 2012 , when he was diagnosed with hepatitis C. However, the generosity of an anonymous donor to whom he now dedicates every one of his sporting achievements enabled him to have a second chance.
Spanish runner-up
As an athlete of the Pontevedra Gymnastics Association, Last June, Carlos won a silver medal in the javelin at the Spanish Masters Athletics Championships. Held in Jerez de la Frontera, the result was 38.48 metres. As if that wasn’t enough, the Galician finished fourth in the 5kg shot put (over 60 category) with a throw of 10.91 metres.
a long way
His ordeal began in 2000, when he was slashed with a razor blade by a local while serving as an army commander in Kosovo. He maintained a completely normal life and was even sent on other international assignments until 2012 when he began to feel unwell. Until he was forced to retire due to military service and left his post in the 7th “Galicia” Brigade. He even participated in other missions, such as Pakistan or Afghanistan. ‘When they ran the test, my liver was completely destroyed’, he said. Everything comes from that incision in the Balkans. After a long wait, the donor arrived.
After the surgery and proper rest, the Galician found that exercise was a good ally in improving his body and mind. “At first I was simply walking, then I started running, and finally, I picked up different throwing events in athletics. —javelin, discus, weights, and hammer—with the help of my friend and coach Sandy Ferrell.
From then on, he didn’t waste any time. In 2017, he competed in the sport’s World Transplant Championships for the first time and finished third.He has since reached many other podiums, such as the 2018 European Transplant Championships where he won gold, silver and bronze medals in different categories, or Galician Masters Athletes Championship – 35 years and older – in which he took first place in this category – do not forget that this competition is not exclusive to transplant recipients, but to the general population as a whole.
His experiences led him to found, together with other colleagues, the Galician Association of Transplant and Dialysis Athletes. He is now aiming to compete internationally and he promises it will be a source of pride to represent Spain.