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Tomás with the creations which won him a place in the final.
A hairdresser heading to the top

A hairdresser heading to the top

He studied at the Salduba school in San Pedro, came first in the national phase of this competition, and is hoping for similar success in Abu Dhabi. Tomás Rivera Díaz is representing Spain at a professional training competition

FRANCISCO GUTIÉRREZ

Wednesday, 25 October 2017, 15:02

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Tired, but very excited. That is how Tomás Rivera Díaz said he was feeling when we rang him in Abu Dhabi, the day after he arrived there. Actually, he spoke in the plural, because his teacher JuanJo Mariscal was there with him; JuanJo will be a member of the judging panel for the Hairdressing section at Worldskills International 2017, which is a professional training competition.

This is the best experience of my life; it is a gift, to be chosen to represent my country in an international competition, and I am really looking forward to it, Tomás told us.

He explained that when the Spanish team arrived, they were welcomed by a line of girls who greeted them in Arabic and Spanish. Then, in a pavilion, they were served with sweets and traditional food. That afternoon they took an excursion into the desert on camels and in 4x4s, where they had dinner and watched the sun set. That was fantastic, he said.

The following morning they visited the competition area, to familiarise themselves with the surroundings in which they will be working, and Tomás met the other girls and boys against whom he would be competing. Altogether, there are 32 competitors from different countries in the Hairdressing section. Everyone was really nice, he said.

The competitors were then given their first instructions. The competition began on Sunday and went on for our days, during which they have had to demonstrate their skills at colouring, cutting, styling, men's and women's hairdressing etc. I can't wait, and I hope I'll do well for Spain, said Tomás before it started.

Tomás Rivera did his initial hairdressing studies at the Salduba secondary school in San Pedro de Alcántara, and now combines his studies with a job in a salon. He says his teacher thought he had potential and encouraged him to enter competitions. Last year, he took part in the regional Professional Training competition and this year he competed in the national one, with the same results in both: a gold medal, which became his passport to this international final.

As well as hairdressing, Tomás has another passion: music. He has been on the 'Se llama copla' programme and had a role in the 'Como las alas al viento' series on Antena 3.

A total of 27 youngsters from Spain are in Abu Dhabi, competing in 25 sections. Three of them are from Andalucía. Apart from Tomás, Carlos Carmona Pérez, who is studying Restaurant and Bar Service at the Atenea school in Mairena del Aljarafe, and Alicia Martínez Arévalo, studing Fashion Technology at the Pablo Picasso school in Seville, are also hoping for success.

Altogether, 1,250 competitors from 58 countries will be taking part in the 51 sectors of this year's Worldskills International.

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