Delete
Inauguration of the Deportistas Santos Labarca street. AA
Santos Labaca: Alicante's New Street Honours Handball Sports Ambassador

Santos Labaca: Alicante's New Street Honours Handball Sports Ambassador

The former Calpisa centre and Spanish international states, "This is an unforgettable day for my family and me, for which I must express my gratitude for this recognition."

Tere Compañy Martínez

Alicante

Viernes, 31 de enero 2025, 16:06

Alicante now boasts a new street paying tribute to one of the city's handball legends, Santos Labaca. Luis Barcala, the mayor of Alicante, highlighted the "human and professional quality" of this athlete, who was an international player for Spain and a member of the Club Balonmano Calpisa during the street's inauguration in Vistahermosa.

The newly inaugurated road is adjacent to Caja de Ahorros street. The mayor also noted that "Alicante today recognises one of its most distinguished adopted sons, a formidable centre and a magnificent ambassador for a city that today repays a debt of gratitude to an exceptional athlete."

Labaca, regarded as the best handball centre in Spain during the late 1970s, stated, "This is an unforgettable day for my family and me, for which I must express my gratitude for this recognition." He was accompanied by his family at the plaque unveiling, who thanked the Councillor for Statistics, Lidia López, for her efforts "to turn what began as a dream into a happy reality." The event was also attended by the Councillors for Sports and Presidency, Toni Gallego and Antonio Peral, respectively, and members of the Municipal Corporation.

Life dedicated to handball

Santos Labaca was born in Pasajes (Guipúzcoa) in 1949. He joined Calpisa from Balonmano Granollers. His career in Alicante spanned from the 1974-75 season to 1983-84. He was a European Cup Winners' Cup champion (1980) with Calpisa, a two-time league champion with Calpisa, and won three King's Cups with Calpisa. He was an Olympian with Spain in Munich '72 and an international player for Spain in the 1974 Handball World Championship held in the German Democratic Republic. After his playing career, he coached Tecnisán.

Labaca was known on the handball courts for his game direction and discipline. Methodical and strict in his preparation, he was fully in sync with Goyo, another of Alicante's handball 'legends'. They formed the perfect duo at CB Calpisa. For the attack, Goyo. In defence, Santos Labaca. He maintains a close friendship with 'Pitu' Perramón. Both arrived in Alicante from Balonmano Granollers.

Joining the handball team gave him the opportunity to work as a technical architect within the company. This allowed him to develop a significant housing project in Juan XXIII and Gran Alacant. Thus, he settled permanently with his family in the city of Alicante.

From there, he worked in the private sector for many years until 1998, when he joined the Department of Property Conservation at the Alicante City Council. Later, in 2004, he moved to the Urban Planning Department of Alicante. He concluded his professional career in Alicante in 2015.

Prominent handball players in the street names

The name of Santos Labaca joins other prominent handball players who lend their names to sports centres or streets in Alicante. This is the list regarding sports centres: 'Pitíu' Rochel (San Blas) and 'Nacho Novoa' (Ciudad Jardín). Concerning streets, Deportista José Luis Soriano 'Poli' (next to Rico Pérez), Deportista 'Pitu' Perramón (San Agustín), and Javier Cabanas street (Playa de San Juan).

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.

Reporta un error en esta noticia

* Campos obligatorios

todoalicante Santos Labaca: Alicante's New Street Honours Handball Sports Ambassador