Juan Diego Blas Fernandez

Reason: He was introduced to sport by his parents at an early age, swimming and playing basque pelota, a sport that he went on to represent Guatemala in. He had the ambition of competing at either the Olympic Games or Paralympic Games, which saw him take up Para badminton in 2015, before he discovered Para archery. (Guatemala.com Facebook page, 04 Jun 2023) Awards: He and athletics competitor Ericka Esteban were named as flag bearers for Guatemala for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (guatemala.com, 07 Aug 2024) Additional Info: OTHER ACTIVITIES He has worked for the Guatemalan Olympic Committee as head of sport for social development. In 2024 he was elected as president of the Americas Paralympic Committee athletes' commission. In 2016 he co-founded the Guatemala branch of United Play International, which arranges sport for development workshops and sport equipment donations to rural communities in Guatemala. (LinkedIn profile, 15 Jul 2024; unitedplayinternational.com, 2024) FURTHER EDUCATION He has a master's degree in business administration from Rafael Landivar University in Guatemala. He has also completed an executive master's in sport organisations management programme, and has studied with Japan's Nippon Sport Science University. (LinkedIn profile, 15 Jul 2024)

Sporting Relatives: His father Enrique Blas represented Guatemala in basque pelota at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. (SportsDeskOnline, 08 Aug 2024; Guatemala.com Facebook page, 04 Jun 2023)