For Kayla Sanchez, a two-time Olympic medalist who previously represented Canada’s national swimming team in the past, going to the Paris Olympics has a special meaning for her.
The 23-year-old Sanchez will now represent not only herself, but her family ties, roots and culture.
“I’m going to represent the flag. It’s going to be special for me,” said Sanchez in an interview with Sports Radio on Radyo Pilipinas 2.
“This is very special for me. Because I’ve grown up very Filipino, attending Filipino parties, having karaoke and eating Filipino ulams,” said Sanchez.
Sanchez, who set foot on Paris on Wednesday with her coach Luka Gabrilo, was born in Singapore to Overseas Filipino Worker parents — father Noel, who came from Mabalacat, Pampanga, and mother Susana, who is from Baguio.
When she was two, Sanchez and her family moved to Ontario, Canada.
“They were so happy for me. They’re so proud of me. They’re the ones who encouraged to compete and be my best,” said Sanchez.
Sanchez, who switched nationalities from Canada two years ago, is entered in the women’s 100-meter freestyle and the 100-meter backstroke.
This was after the International Olympic Committee waived the three-year residency on Sanchez’s nationality switch, paving the way for the former Canadian standout to focus on preparing for the Paris Olympics.
When Sanchez first represented the Philippines last year, she nearly earned a podium in two individual final events at the Asian Games, breaking national records along the way.
