The president of the International Federation of Piragüismo, José Perurera, has received the gold badge of the Spanish in recognition of his outstanding work and contribution to the growth of this sport, in which in the coming months he will be relieved after 12 years as the world leader

The president of the Royal Spanish Federation of Piragüismo, Juan José Román Manga, has imposed the distinction granted unanimously by the Board of Directors to Perurena during the official dinner held yesterday by the highest organ of the International Federation of Piragüismo, which these days meets in Barcelona. The president of the COE, Alejandro Blanco, the director of the Consell Catalá d'Esports, Antoni Reig, and the City Council of Barcelona, David Escudé, have also attended.

"I've been linked to piragüism for 60 years."Perurena has pointed out, whose first link was as a palist at the age of 15, a facet in which, among other results, they stand out to have been a member of the Spanish Olympic K4 in Mexico 68 and winner of the International Seal Discount in 1964 forming a couple in K2 with Pedro Cuesta. As a leader, he presided over the Spanish Federation of Piragüismo in the period 1984-2000, becoming the third regator of this entity, after Hernando Calleja and Manuel Fonseca. He was also a member of the International Olympic Committee from 2011 to 2019 and president of the World Games since 2014.

In the balance of his mandate he highlighted the momentum in equality between men and women by achieving the same number of medals for Tokyo, as well as the female presence in all committees in addition to a vice-president of the ICF; he had also given "seriousness" to the non-Olympic disciplines of piragüism - they are only esprint and slalon- which for many federations were "and make a good team."

He claims that Spanish Piragüism "never been" as at this moment, he has emphasized Perurena, who was president of the National for 16 years, and that he emphasizes "how is this sport now, which stands out in esprint, slalon, marathon, sea kayak, kayak polo. In all disciplines it has great athletes. It is the second most important federation in the world, never reached those levels. It's an incredible thing, I don't say it as a political comment, in the world of piragüism people wonder what Spain is doing right to get the results it has."

In his view, the successes of Spanish pyragüism at the international level began with the world title achieved in 1975 by the iconic K4, composed of Herminio Menéndez, Luis Gregorio Ramos Missioné, José María Esteban Celorrio and José Ramón López Diaz-Flower, the boat that was proclaimed the following year as the Olympic sub-champion in Montreal 76. "The important thing is to create the structure necessary for a year after year to produce good results," said the leader, who highlights the successes chained in "all the championships of the youth world" as well as the milestones that mark Teresa Portela, who in Tokyo will reach his sixth JJOO; the 5 Olympic medals that David Cal atesores, who make him the Spanish sportsman with the most presences; or the 4 that Saul Craviotto has, the best palate of possible participants in the nifona.