The Ibizan athlete Noelia Perez has been proclaimed world champion in pairs in the V edition of the DEKA World Championship, held in Florida, teaming up with Tania Thies from Luxembourg. The competition, promoted by Spartan Race, continues its international expansion and this year celebrated for the first time an edition in Ibiza, with a remarkable participation of athletes and public. Perez, with a solid track record in Balearic athletics, started with podium options, but his performance exceeded all expectations and won with a wide difference with respect to the rest of the teams.
The DEKA Fit format combines ten exercise zones – from rowing and strides to medicine ball throwing, sled pulling and weighted running – that require precise strategy and constant coordination among team members. In addition to the world title, Perez and Thies took a creditable third place in the DEKA Mile, a more explosive, shorter-distance version that also tests the athletes’ power and speed.
The alliance between the two was born months before, when Thies discovered Perez’s potential during the test held in Barcelona. From then on they teamed up at DEKA Valencia, where they had already won. Much of the preparation for the World Championship had to be done remotely, combining training in different cities and designing separate strategies due to the incompatibility of calendars and geographical distance.
The world championship confirmed the rise of hybrid fitness in Spain, represented by an expedition of more than 50 athletes, including medalists Aitor Lizarazu and Pau Nacenta. The Ibizan representation was extended with the participation of Alfons Deu and Lola Ríos, who came close to the podium with an outstanding fourth position in the 55 to 59 years old category. Perez, after his international success, is already focusing his preparation towards the next DEKA Fit Ibiza, which will hold its second edition on March 14 and 15, 2026.
The athlete considers that DEKA competitions have established themselves as an attractive alternative for athletes of different profiles, combining strength, speed and strategy. The growing number of participants in Spain confirms the expansion of this sport and places Ibiza as a reference in the organization of functional fitness events, with a community increasingly involved and ready to face new challenges.
