“I think it’s the most macho sport of all,” says Karla de los Angeles of bullfighting.
A female matador who was gored in a bullfight last weekend has vowed to return to the ring “as soon as possible”, saying she wants to inspire girls to fight sexism wherever it occurs, as it is something she still faces in her chosen career.
Karla Sanchez San Martin and another female matador were gored, and seven other people were injured, as a bullfight in Mexico City descended into chaos last Sunday. At the event, the 26-year-old Ms San Martin, who fights under the stage name Karla de los Angeles, became one of only a handful of Mexican women to achieve the elite rank of matador.
Bullfighting, which often ends in the death of the animal, has a long history and has been condemned by animal rights organisations. Many people believe that it is not an acceptable sport in the modern age, or even a sport at all – although it still draws crowds in countries such as Spain and Mexico.
Footage from Plaza Mexico, the world’s biggest bullring, shows Ms de los Angeles drawing her sword and preparing to deliver the killer thrust. But she misjudged it and the bull tossed her into the air and briefly impaled her with its horn, leaving her with a 24-centimetre gash in her thigh…
The Tequila Files 