The mayor of Tías, José Juan Cruz, has congratulated the karateka Javier Plaza, from the Suhari Club, on behalf of the municipal corporation. The athlete has been called to participate as part of the representation of Spain in the XI Ibero-American Karate Championship, which is held from July 20 to 23 in Tenerife.
Javier Plaza Peña, 22 years old, will be part of the Spanish representation in the senior kumite category with more than 84 kilograms. The Suhari Club, to which he has belonged since 2007, distinguishes him as an "intelligent competitor with a great fighting style." He also thanks the selector of the Canary Islands Karate Federation, José Fernández, "for having trusted our competitor in a championship of such a high level."
The XI Ibero-American Karate Championship will feature the participation of up to 14 countries from the American continent and Spain. The last edition was held in Cali, Colombia, and the previous ones took place in Nicaragua, Chile, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.
According to information provided by the Municipal School Club Suhari Karate, managed by professor Marco Guerrero, Javier Plaza has been on the Canarian podium more than 10 times. In 2017, he was proclaimed junior champion of the Canary Islands, and in the last regional championship, he was proclaimed senior runner-up. In the national league, he has qualified twice in fourth place.
In addition, in 2022 he obtained the first classification in the Andorra International Open, where he had finished in second place in 2018 and in third place in 2017. Also in 2017 and 2018, he took third place in the European Ishimi Shitokai Association International Open.
In 2020 and 2021, he was classified among the 8 best karatekas in Spain in the sub21 ranking of the National League with less than 75 kilograms.