The Gracia Brothers: The Family That Wrote Its Name into the History of Beach SAMBO

The World Beach SAMBO Championships 2026 in Caraguatatuba, Brazil, will be remembered not only for fierce competition, but for a genuinely heartwarming story. Spain's Gorka Gracia became a two-time world champion in the men's -58 kg category: having already won in Singapore a year earlier, he confirmed his title on Brazilian sand. But what makes this victory truly special is that his brother, Ibai Gracia, has been by his side throughout – himself a world champion from 2024 in Morocco in the -71 kg category.

Family Comes First

After the final whistle, the brothers sat down for a joint interview, revealing that sharing these victories together matters even more than the titles themselves.

“For me, this is a source of pride. Above all, living this with my brother. It makes me incredibly happy. This time I couldn't defend my own title – it didn't go the way I wanted, but I watched my brother make history again. From the outside, it might look easy, but there's an enormous amount of work behind a victory like this. Winning any medal is hard, becoming a world champion is even harder. I'm incredibly proud to have seen him win,” said Ibai Gracia.

Gorka himself admits that his second title means just as much as his first – precisely because his brother was there with him again.

“The most important thing is that I was able to come here with my brother and share this experience with him. This time he wasn't able to win a medal, but for me it doesn't matter which one of us stands on the podium – it's our shared victory. That's why I'm so happy,” shared Gorka Gracia.

Who Introduced Whom to SAMBO

Ibai was the one who came to SAMBO first, he says – simply because this is the question of the age.

“I started first because I'm older,” Ibai recalls with a smile.

Gorka admits he fell in love with the sport watching his brother compete.

“I loved watching him fight. The first time I went to see him compete, I fell in love with the sport. And I told myself: when I grow up, I want to be like him and do SAMBO too,” said Gorka.

A Sport That Builds Discipline

For both brothers, SAMBO became more than a hobby – it became a tool for personal growth.

“As a kid I was hyperactive, and doing sport really helped me. Now I've got everything under control,” noted Ibai.

For Gorka, SAMBO became a way to unwind and take a break from his studies.

“For me it's a way to relax, to switch off, and to do something I'm truly passionate about. SAMBO is a hobby I really love,” the athlete added.

SAMBO in Spain: A Small but Growing Community

The brothers are candid about the fact that SAMBO remains a niche sport in Spain.

“In Spain, not that many people practice SAMBO yet – there really aren't many of us. And it's especially noticeable when we compete abroad: in countries like Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, SAMBO is almost like football is in Spain. Back home, most people just play football, and not that many are into combat sports,” said Gorka.

A Hard-Fought Path to Gold

Asked about the toughest moment of the tournament, Gorka admitted there wasn't a single easy bout on his way to the final.

“Every bout was tough. In the first one, against a Venezuelan opponent, it was really hard for me to find my rhythm. Then the semifinal against a Brazilian – a very strong opponent. And in the final, we were so evenly matched that I genuinely wasn't sure how it would end. In the end, I gave it everything and managed to win. Every single bout was really hard,” the athlete shared.

Beach SAMBO: A Sport With Its Own Character

One topic that came up on its own in the conversation with the Gracia brothers was Beach SAMBO itself – a discipline Gorka feels a particular connection to. According to him, this format suits him best.

“I get good results in Beach SAMBO. At some point I found training methods that really worked well for it. That said, when it comes to competing, I still lean slightly more toward Sport SAMBO,” shared Gorka Gracia.

New Goals and a Place in History

Despite his clear success on the sand – two consecutive Beach SAMBO world titles – Gorka doesn't see the disciplines as “his” or “not his”, finding value in each of them. His future plans reflect that: his next goal is the World SAMBO Championships in Uzbekistan, which he hopes to attend this year.

“SAMBO is an incredible sport, give it a try. There are so many techniques, so many different ways to win – that's exactly why I love it so much. I encourage everyone to try it,” the champion said.

Ibai, for his part, pointed out a notable fact: the Gracia brothers have gone down in history as the first pair of brothers to become Beach SAMBO world champions. For a discipline that continues to grow and introduce itself to the world, stories like this become part of its identity – Beach SAMBO is increasingly producing not just sporting results, but genuinely special, family stories.