Churandy Martina (37) is a name that brings up determination, hard work and a high dose of positivism. When we think of Churandy, we automatically think about athletics and his one million dollar smile that made him the most positive person of the Netherlands. He was born and raised in Curaçao, but the United States and the Netherlands have been his home town for such a long time. He participated five times at the Olympics. Twice for the Netherlands Antilles (2004 and 2008) and three times for the Netherlands. Besides being a successful athlete, he is definitely a role model for many of us on the island. We talked about his the start of his career, his experience at the Olympics in Beijing in 2008 and his future plans. He surprised us with an interesting line up!
“When I was in 5th grade, I participated in a pentathlon and this is how I started to love playing volleyball and doing athletics. I focused on both sports but at the end of the day I made the decision to choose for athletics, because there were more possibilities to participate in international championships. I was eager to learn more and broaden my horizons by participating in competitions abroad” Churandy says at the beginning of the interview.
Churandy started his international career at the youth level, reaching the 100 meters semifinals of the 1999 World Youth Championships in Athletics. Moving up to the junior level, he ran at the World Junior Championships in Athletics in 2000 and 2002. He received his first gold medal in the 100 m at the 2002 South American Games in Belém, Brazil. After representing Netherlands Antilles at several championships, he made his first Olympic at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He carried the flag of our islands with pride in the opening ceremony. Since that moment, he did not stand still.
He participated at several competitions, gaining meaningful experiences and promoting the Netherlands Antilles at their best. It was in 2008 when his career took an unexpected turn when he participated at the Olympics in Beijing, China. Churandy placed second in the 200 m, finishing behind Usain Bolt with a time of 19.82 s. This would have been a national record for our islands. At the end of the competition, the people in Curaçao started to celebrate this magnificent achievement. This excitement only lasted a short while, since he was disqualified an hour after the race for a lane violation. The American athlete Wallace Spearmon, who had initially placed third, was disqualified moments after the race for having stepped on his inside lane line during the race. The American coaches appealed the decision and upon viewing footage of Spearmon’s offence they noticed that Martina had committed the same infraction. “This was definitely an unforgettable chapter in my career. I was pissed off and disappointed. I do respect all rules, but there is still so many uncertainties about this situation. I take it as a meaningful lesson. Beijing 2008 made me a stronger person with a sharp character and I always move forward,” he continues.
After the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, Churandy represented the Netherlands at several championships. He was living in the United States at that moment, but he moved to the Netherlands because of the trainings. Next to the positive outcome at the championships, Churandy captured the heart of his Dutch followers. His peculiar accent and his sunny personality took him to several TV commercials and for two times, he won the title of the ‘Most Positive Dutch’. He has an enormous fan base, not only in the Netherlands, but also in Curaçao and the sister islands.
Last year Churandy participated for the 5th time at the Olympics. This is definitely something unique! With so much pride he explains his feeling when sharing this experience with other athletes from Curaçao. Liemarvin Bonevacia, Terrence Agard, Hensley Paulina, are just a few he shared some unforgettable moments with. “For Curaçao, it was definitely a great promotion. We were representing the Dutch flag, but we felt so proud coming from such a small island and being together in this!” Churandy mentions.
There have been rumors that this would have been his last Olympics. “You never know… I am 37 years old, but I think I have the power to continue. Nothing is over until it’s over!” he says with a huge smile. Days after this interview we read in the newspapers that he will focus for his 6th participation at the Olympics. He is definitely an example that there is no age for success and there is no limit to what a man can achieve.
Last year was also special because Churandy presented his documentary ‘Churandy-The Final Sprint’ produced by Thakai Doran. “With this documentary I wanted to show especially the youngsters that hard work definitely pays off. They are our future and they need to believe in themselves to reach higher. The feedback was amazing! I am so happy that so many youngsters were able to watch the documentary. We need to guide them and I hope my documentary contributes to their development” he continues.
At this moment Churandy is focusing on different championships, for example World Championships in the United States and the European Championship in München. “Honestly, things have changed due to the pandemic. But the secret is to change your mindset and push against all odds. I am always happy, because I’m grateful for life. We all go through difficult times, but having a positive attitude is a choice you make every single day! This is also what I would like to teach the athletes of the younger generation. Hard work definitely pays off!” he explains.
Next to his successful journey as an athlete, Churandy discovered another passion, which is golf. We noticed that several known athletes of Curaçao started to play golf and participated at several competitions. “I enjoy playing golf! When I’m on the island, it’s my time to relax on the court!” Churandy says laughing.
Talking to Churandy makes me realize once again that It does not matter how long you are spending on the earth, how much money you have gathered or how much attention you have received. It is the amount of positive vibration you have radiated in life that matters. Churandy thank you for representing us fantastically, everywhere you go!
