Daniel Plaza facts for kids

Daniel Plaza Montero was born on July 3, 1966. He is a former race walker from Spain. He competed in the 20 kilometer (km) race walk event. Daniel took part in three Olympic Games during his career. These were in 1988, 1992, and 1996.

Daniel Plaza: A Champion Race Walker

Early Life and Sport

Daniel Plaza was born in Barcelona, Spain. From a young age, he showed talent in race walking. This sport is a special type of long-distance walking. Athletes must always keep one foot on the ground. They also have to straighten their front leg when it touches the ground.

Olympic Gold and Other Wins

Daniel Plaza achieved his biggest success at the 1992 Olympic Games. These games were held in his home city of Barcelona. He won a gold medal in the 20 km race walk event. He finished just one second ahead of Guillaume LeBlanc. This made Daniel the first Spanish track and field athlete ever to win an Olympic gold medal. It was a very proud moment for Spain.

Besides his Olympic gold, Daniel also won other important medals. He earned a silver medal at the 1990 European Championships. This event took place in Split, which was then part of Yugoslavia. Later, in 1993, he won a bronze medal. This was at the World Championships held in Stuttgart, Germany.

Representing Spain

Daniel Plaza proudly represented Spain in many international competitions. He competed in the Olympic Games three times. In 1988, he finished 12th in the 20 km walk in Seoul, South Korea. Four years later, he won gold in Barcelona. His last Olympic appearance was in 1996. He placed 11th in Atlanta, United States.

He also competed in the World Race Walking Cup. In 1989, he was 11th in L'Hospitalet, Spain. He improved to 4th place in 1991 in San Jose, United States. In 1993, he finished 6th in Monterrey, Mexico. Daniel also won a silver medal at the European Race Walking Cup in 1996. This event was held in A Coruña, Spain.

See also

In Spanish: Daniel Plaza para niños