Sanchez, who has already won the event in Dubai this year, beat Hikaru Ono of Japan 3-2 in her semi-final at the Topsportcentrum Rotterdam.

It guaranteed her a 26th consecutive medal in international competition.

"I hope that the streak continues," she said afterwards.

"Most of the times I am not really aware of how many medals I have won, and when people tell me about this, I am like 'whoa, really?'

"This is the consequence of the hard work that we are putting into it. 

"We never give up, we go every day to train as if we had never won anything and we face competitions with the same hopes and with the same excitement as the first time."

Emiri Iwamoto of Japan narrowly beat Hong Kong's Mo Sheung Grace Lau 3-2 in the other semi-final.

Turkey's 2014 world champion Serap Özçelik suffered a semi-final defeat to Japan's Ayaka Tadano elsewhere today.

Özçelik, who also won gold at the European Games in 2015, had made comfortable progress into the semi-finals of the women's under-50 kilograms kumite competition.

But she was then defeated by her Japanese opponent and can only now win a bronze medal when competition concludes in the category on Sunday (March 18).

Sari Sukatendel Srunita of Indonesia beat Shara Hubrich of Germany to secure the other final slot.

Wen Tzu-Yun of Chinese Taipei impressed in the under-55kg kumite event to beat France's in-form Emilie Thouy in the semi-finals.

It set up a final against Tuba Yakan of Turkey.

Italy and Iran also impressed today to reach the final of the men's team kata competition.

Italy overcame Turkey in the semi-finals while Iran got the better of Montenegro.

Qualifying action is due to continue tomorrow.

All finals will then be held on Sunday.