Javier Sanz, a lifetime dedicated to sport. Born in Toro (Zamora), at the age of five he settled in Salamanca and remains here. He carries the name of Salamanca wherever he sees and in the world of judo and jiujitsu It is a reference of great prestige at a national and international level. He has just received the eighth dan in jiujitsu in Las Palmas.
His career began in 1970. He began his career in the world of Judo, at the Altemima gym, the second gym in the city. He obtained his first black belt in judo in 1977. He developed his period of competition in different children’s and cadet categories and at the age of 18 he got his first degree in judo in Madrid.
It is here when he obtained his first qualification as a judo instructor in San Sebastián. Two years later he obtained a degree in judo in 1979 and became a regional coach in Talavera de la Reina. In 1982, his third dan of judo and highest qualification, national judo coach.
Thus, you can independently sign up to brown belt in judo and jiujitsu and, in turn, be part of examination boards for black belts in both disciplines.
Subsequently, in regulation times he obtained fourth, fifth, sixth dan of judo (red and white belt), the latter obtained with a reward in Pamplona in 2023.
In jiujitsu The Spanish Judo Federation offers the opportunity to judo graduates to homologate their judo degree in the category of jiujitsu in 1979. From that moment on he obtained the degrees of second, third and fourth dan. jiujitsu and the Spanish Federation proposed him in 1988 to be the national director of this discipline, a degree he holds. In addition, the objective is set to achieve the modernization of the jiujitsu in Spain and the introduction of the competition systems of this discipline at the national and international level, also being responsible for the dissemination of this same sport in countries such as Argentina, Uruguay, Portugal and Italy.
All of this within the collaboration programs that the National Judo Federation maintains in its protocols with different international countries. Being also an honorary member of the Argentine and Uruguayan federations of jiu jitsu.
For 14 years he assumed the position and responsibility of that promotion, elevating Spain to be among the top 5 countries in terms of results and sporting successes, in such a way that the national teams of jiujitsu led at the corresponding time, Spain obtained first places in world, European and world championships (world games) held in Helsinki (lathi) and Japan (akita).
In addition to having qualifications in the field of arbitration, national judo referee and in jiujitus top category of world referee. He carried out all this refereeing work in the Spanish Federation for 14 years (1988 to 2005).
His managerial stage in the Spanish Federation is complemented by his time that has coincided with other regional responsibilities in Castilla y León and technical direction of the cadet teams of the same community.
Once his technical stage is completed, he obtains sixth and seventh dan and recently eighth dan. jiujitsumeeting the requirements of the official rewards regulations of the Spanish Federation, after waiting 11 years, from 2011 to the present and exceeding the age of 60 years.
In the organizing field, it has organized Spanish and European championships (in Salamanca 1990 and 1991), multiple national congresses and other types of events, always with the motto of promotion and dissemination of jiujitsu traditional.
In parallel and already outside of technical and sports activities, business responsibilities as director of the Kata Gym from 1979 to the present (46 years), president of the association of sports facilities of our city for more than 15 years, as well as head of the Federation Autonomous Community of Castilla y León of sports facilities.
“Javier, in addition to his fighting spirit and self-improvement, has one of the greatest qualities, he is a good person and friend to his friends,” says Chenche Martín Galeano.
