Who We Are: Ian and Iker Sanchez Lopez

In the world of running, a good teammate is someone who will cheer you on and support you. However, a great teammate is someone who will compete with you and push you to work harder every day.
 
For twins Ian Sanchez Lopez and Iker Sanchez Lopez, they are not only great running teammates, but great “teammates of life.”
 
“Our father always promoted healthy competition. That’s really important in our process because it’s much easier when you have a teammate that is much more than a teammate,” said Iker.
 
“People could think that’s something that could generate problems, but I think it’s more useful. For example, I know what I need to do or what shape I need to be in to be a competitive athlete. It’s pretty easy, I just need to look at my teammate. If he’s able to be in that shape or win something or get a good result, why am I not able to do that?” added Ian. 
 
It’s no surprise that the boys followed their father’s advice given the impact their parents have had on their lives.
 
“I would say that our father and our mother are the most important people for our success,” said Iker.
 
Hailing from Aguascalientes, Mexico, family has always been a big deal… literally. Both their father and mother have 12 siblings, giving Ian and Iker a plethora of aunts, uncles, and cousins. On top of that, the twins are the youngest in their own family, having two older sisters and one older brother. While the family may be separated, with one sister in Germany, a brother in Canada, the parents in Mexico, and the twins here in Tucson, the family still makes it a priority to stay connected. One big part of this is Ian and Iker’s ability to stay connected to their Hispanic roots in Mexico.
 
“I don’t try to remove this part of me that is from Mexico,” said Ian. “For me it’s very important to keep my culture with the things that I like to do in Mexico. The food, the values, the traditions. I think for me being Hispanic is something that makes me proud.”
 
It’s not just Ian who celebrates his Hispanic heritage though. “I feel really proud of my origin, and I feel a really big responsibility because I am not just representing me or my family, I am representing my whole country,” Iker conveyed. “I try to work really hard to represent and to give a good image of Mexican athletics.”

Their heritage is not just limited to who they are as athletes, as the two continue to celebrate their origin through Mexican traditions, holidays, and values. Even though the two weren’t in…