When talent overrides money: the fairy tale with a happy ending of champion Tony

His name is Anthony Javier Sanchez Zamora, known to his friends as Tony. He is 14 years old and the new Optimist zonal champion of Liguria (Zone I is one of the largest in Italy, with 182 AICO members). Son of Ecuadorian migrantes, eldest of three children (dad is bricklayer, mom, housewife, was a sportswoman in Ecuador), he succeeded in his goal, that of beating everyone: thanks in part to the help of the Naval League of Genoa Center, which believed in his talent by providing him with a free boat, sails, and exempting him from the club and regatta fees. Tony repaid all league members and his coach Mattia Maffei in the best way possible.

“TACKED ON HIS KNEES”
“I saw right away that this guy had some stuff,” Mattia tells us. “When I first met him, he had behind him a sailing course carried out as part of a social project and a couple of outings with the LNI’s pre-competitive team. I remember him tacking on his knees. The family resided in Sestri Ponente (a suburb of Genoa, ed.). And when we were training, mother would wake up early in the morning to take Tony by bus to the Port (the LNI of Genoa is right in front of the emblazoned Yacht Club Italiano, ed.), because they had no car. Now it has moved closer to the LNI and everything is more convenient. We have worked hard and honed our technique, and in the last two years Tony has begun to take some satisfaction, qualifying for the Italian Championships and now he is Zonal Champion!”

TALKS LITTLE, THINKS A LOT
Tony’s secret weapon? “He is one who talks little and thinks a lot. This is a fundamental skill for a sailor. Tony listens, learns, knows. And he never complains: plus he’s always willing to lend a hand and teach the little ones.” But he’s a big boy now, and 2017 will be his last aboard the little tubs: “But we already have a future plan for Tony“, Mattia concludes, “420 is waiting for him, one of his comrades with whom he already gets along very well will be his bowman: again we will provide the boy with all the help we can.”

Eugene Ruocco