14 Aug Miguel E. Rocha (26 years old)

WITH 3rd DAN AND DEAF, I WOULD LIKE THE WFK TO TAKE US INTO ACCOUNT ✳️ With a family full of karatekas, it was easy for him to start practicing this martial art that filled him with self-confidence and he began to love it from an early age.

My name is Miguel Eduardo Rocha Márquez, I am 26 years old and I was born in the State of Mexico but since I was 11 years old I have lived in Querétaro with my mother.

I WANT THE WFK TO TAKE DEAF PEOPLE INTO ACCOUNT

The WFK does not currently consider deaf people like Miguel, within its competition regulations.

I would like the WKF to take us into account within its official Para-Karate program because we are many athletes with hearing disabilities and we can be included in its program, as a sign of this, all those who participate in the Deaf Olympics have a high competitive level and we We are preparing for the next edition to be held in Caxias del Sur in Brazil, in December 2021.

My coach and mother, whenever possible, takes the opportunity to let it be known that deaf athletes can be within this WFK program and she does so with the desire to be included in this official program to give them the place they deserve, to despite having a disability invisible to the eyes of others.

FAMILY MEMBER OF THE PRECURSORS OF THE MEXICAN KARATE

I was born into a family of karatecas, my great-uncles-great-uncles were Grand Master Antonio Márquez López 10 ° DAN and Grand Master Ángel Márquez López 10 ° DAN (q.e.p.d.), both precursors of Karate in Mexico. My grandfather was Sensei Aurelio Rocha Soria (q.e.p.d.), Technical Director of Club Okinawa la Villa, a club of champions in its time.

HIS MOTHER, HIS COACH AND PARAKARATE PROMOTER

Miguel with his mother and coach, Kory Rocha.

My mother and coach, Sensei Kory Rocha Márquez, commissioner of ParaKarate of the State Karate-Do Association of the State of Querétaro and is also a sports promoter of ParaKarate of the Paralympic sports academies of the Institute of Recreation and Sports of the Municipality of Querétaro.

My uncle is also a coach, Sensei Alfredo Rocha Márquez is the General Director of the Kazoku Wa Karate Do Organization. Most of my uncles and cousins ​​are karatecas, a family that traditionally inherited a love for the martial art of karate.

I LOST HEARING AT TWO YEARS

When I was 2 years old, due to a mismanaged medication given to me by the pediatrician, I lost 90% hearing in both ears in each one, since the medication caused me an auditory disorder.
I started the practice of Karate with my uncle Alfredo at the age of 3 in the Okinawa Karate-Do organization, which helped me a lot to have self-confidence, I participated from that age in a tournament with conventional, regardless of whether I was the only deaf person in categories with listeners. Thanks to the support that my coaches, uncles and cousins ​​have given me so as not to give up and continue, I have always done karate and participated in competitions as just another listener.

INVISIBLE DISABILITY

I was always a very restless child, at 5 years old I began to practice with the Bo and participated in an internal tournament in the special category, I remember that after my participation the people who were there applauded me a lot and few knew that I was somewhat deaf that has never stopped me. I really like combat since I was a child, sometimes I won and sometimes I lost, but I was not discouraged.

Miguel practicing Bo from a very young age, five years old.

When I was 7 years old, I continued practicing Karate, but now in the organization Instituto Mexicano de Karate directed by my uncle Sensei Víctor Manuel Márquez López, where my mother and coach also taught. I took class with the rest of the hearing students without them making any difference between me and the other students. They always treated me like a hearing child and I continued to participate in tournaments in different States of the Republic with good results.

I STARTED TO TEACH AND NOBODY REALIZED THAT I WAS DEAF

In 2005 we went to live in Querétaro, I continued practicing in Kazoku Wa Karate-Do and I began to support the listeners in karate classes, I really liked doing it, but it was strange since neither the students nor the mothers realized that that he was deaf until after some time.

In 2006 and 2007 I participated in the Children’s and Youth Karate Championship, endorsed by the Mexican Karate Federation, this being the first time that I participated in Federated tournaments, always competing with listeners. I continued teaching with my mother and my uncle to children, youth and adults.

He began to teach and no one noticed his deafness.

I took my exam for Black Belt 1st DAN in December 2006, the competition categories were increasingly exhausting due to the level of the black belts and we continued participating in open system tournaments, as it is known here in Mexico.

I ALWAYS PARTICIPATED AS A LISTENER IN KATAS AND KUMITE COMPETITIONS

In December 2008 I took my exam for Black Belt 2nd DAN, I never stopped participating in championships and tournaments in categories of listeners in kata and kumite.

In March 2012, before going to study in the United States, I took my 3rd Black Belt exam. During my stay there I did not practice karate for two years, my stay there, and when I returned in 2014 I made the decision to rest for another year.

My studies in Business Administration and Applied Microcomputers at College Sto. Louis Missosuri have made it possible that today I can work in Civil Protection of the Municipality of Querétaro as responsible for the area of ​​vulnerable groups.

In July 2015 I returned to participate in the Black Belt Tournament where there were more than 600 of all ages. I got second place in Kata and I remember that my trainer, my mother, congratulated me for this achievement because after a three-year hiatus and told me that “karate is something you carry in your blood.”

DEAF OLYMPICS IN TURKEY

In November 2016 at the National Sports Championship for the Deaf, in which I participated in the soccer team, we learned that the following year the Deaf Olympics would be held in Turkey in which I could participate in the discipline of Karate.

The Mexican Federation of Sports for the Deaf, FEMEDESOR, summons me to a concentration of athletes who practice martial arts in March 2017 at the Mexican Paralympic Center, in which my coach, my mother, accompanies me. In the concentration there were three Taekwondo practitioners, one Judo practitioner and I was the only Karate practitioner.

Miguel during one of this trainings.

AGREEMENT FOR THE PARA-KARATE: ASSOCIATIONS AND FEDERATION.

We began with the support of the ENED students our trainings under the Federated system, since we were in the open system. In that month, Femeka had signed an agreement with the Mexican Paralympic Committee, COPAME, to work on ParaKarate in the five Associations in Mexico.

When FEMEDESOR notifies us that I have the possibility of attending the Deaf Olympics, we redouble my training and my coach and I undertake the task of investigating more about Karate in these Games to know, among other things, the WKF regulations, which would be the one that would be to rule the event, who will be the possible rivals. We approached a friend of many years, Sensei Martín Hernández, who has been in the Federated system for many years and is part of the FEMEKA Refereeing Commission, who invites us to train with the senior youth team of Mexico City who were in stage of preparation for the National Olympiad

THE WFK REGULATION DOES NOT CONTEMPLATE THE DEAF

Here we begin the preparation stage to attend the Deaf Olympics in July and represent my country adhering to the WKF regulations, which, although it does not consider Deaf athletes in its official program, does give the endorsement for the realization of these games that have an Olympic level.

They were months of a lot of technical and physical preparation that I had next to my coaches in Querétaro and every 15 days we moved to Mexico City to train with the senior youth team of that entity, there we met Sensei Tovar, in charge of the Commission of Para Karate, who guided us on this.

DEAF OLYMPICS: “HE IS A MOTHER AND NOT A COACH”

In April we were notified that I am a National Selected who will represent Mexico in the Deaf Olympics in July, which fills me with joy, but also with great sadness because whoever had trained me, supported me in this process, who knew the correct way to communicate with me and know me in sports for many years, I could not attend as my coach, giving the Organization the argument that I was the mother and not the coach.

Kory Rocha, Miguel’s mother and coach was unable to attend the Deaf Olympics as coach.

The decision that had been made was very difficult for both of us, but it did not stop us from continuing on to these Games, and we raised the money with a lot of work and with the support, which we greatly appreciate, from many people so that she could attend, not within of the delegation, but yes to support me from the stands as my mother and coach.

In July, a week before leaving for the Deaf Games in Turkey, I participated in the IX National Para-Karate Championship in CDMX, in which I get first place in kata and I do a kumite exhibition in which the central referee is the Spanish Juan Antonio Velasco.

MY COACH AND ALSO MOTHER IS ALLOWED TO BE WITH ME

During the last concentration my coach and mother are allowed to be with me. The training sessions were directed by Sensei Tovar with the support of the ENED students, whom they assigned as Karate coach.
It was an incredible experience to be able to represent my country in this sporting event and to become the first Mexican to represent it.

People with disabilities can do Kumite like Miguel.

I participated in three categories kata, kumite – 84 kg and Open, in which I obtained fifth place in the kumite category -84kg despite not being the category in which I fought.

HAPPY BUT NOT SATISFIED BY THE RESULT

We returned happy, but not satisfied with the result, but more committed than ever to continue working hand in hand with my coaches in Querétaro, my mother, my uncle and the state coach of the State Karate Association as part of the national team of my state. who gives us all the support to continue with the preparation process of the Olympic cycle.

In March 2018, as a State Selected, I participated in the X National ParaKarate Championship in which I obtained third place in Kata and first place in kumite in the Deaf modality.

In July in the Heroes of Querétaro Tournament I obtained fourth place in kata and second place in kumite, in the listener category (not ParaKarate modality) and under the open system regulations.

The municipal selective tournament is held in December, placing third in kata and kumite in the category of
conventional.

FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN PARAKARATE CATEGORY: KATA AND KUMITE

Starting 2019 in February in the State Selective Tournament I get first place in kata and kumite in the ParaKarate category. Third place in kata and fourth place in kumite in the conventional category.

Miguel in the 2019 National Championship.

The FEMEKA organizes the tournament series in the country, in March the R2 is held in San Luis Potosi I obtained first place in Kata and Kumite of ParaKarate in the Deaf modality and third place in kumite in the -75kg category in category listeners.

In the XI National ParaKarate Championship, in April in Irapuato, Gto, I am a kata champion and the R4 in the month of May that takes place in Querétaro, I decide not to participate in Para-Karate but in conventional ones in which I obtain third place in Kumite.

I ALSO PRACTICE FOOTBALL AND HAD A SHORT PAUSE WITH KARATE

I take a short break in my Karate training and participation in the tournament since I also play soccer and I am called as a National Soccer Team for the Deaf to participate in the Americas region qualifying in Temuco, Chile that took place in November.

I return to my training since December 8 is the Municipal Karate Championship in my State, in which I participate in the category of listeners (not Para-Karate modality), remaining in 3rd place in Kata and Kumite.

We started 2020 with all the attitude my preparation for one year of the Deaf Olympics, on February 2 within the State Championship I participate with conventionals and I obtain 2nd place in kata, that same I participate in the MX series in Aguascaliente in which I obtain the first place in kata in the deaf modality, towards the National Championship.

Miguel appears the poster and participated in the Virtual Championship.

In March in the XI National ParaKarate Championship I obtained the first place in Kata in the deaf modality. Despite the pandemic, I continued to train at home and last August 1 I participated in the FEMEKA Virtual National Kata Championship in which I obtained first place in Black Belts in the Deaf Mode.

DEAF OLYMPIC PREPARATION

I hope that this time she will be considered my coach to attend such an important sporting event with me, since we have been preparing ourselves to represent with dignity not only our State but also our Country, committed to improving the results obtained.

I appreciate the invitation to share my story with you, remember that “There are no barriers to achieve what you want”

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