Ryo Kiyuna (喜友名諒, Kiyuna Ryō, born 12 July 1990) is an Okinawan karateka. He won the gold medal in the men's kata event at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He is also a four-time gold medalist in the men's kata event at the World Karate Championships and a two-time gold medalist in the men's team kata event, alongside Arata Kinjo and Takuya Uemura. He has also won multiple gold medals in both the individual and team kata events at the Asian Karate Championships.
Career
At the 2012 World Karate Championships held in Paris, France, Kiyuna won one of the bronze medals in the men's individual kata event. The following year, he represented Japan at the 2013 World Games in Cali, Colombia and he won the bronze medal in the men's kata event.
In 2014, at the World Karate Championships held in Bremen, Germany, Kiyuna won the gold medal in the men's individual kata event. At the 2016 World Karate Championships held in Linz, Austria, he won the gold medal in both the men's individual and men's team kata events. In 2017, Kiyuna won the gold medal in the men's kata event at the World Games held in Wrocław, Poland. In the final, he defeated Damián Quintero of Spain.
At the 2018 Asian Karate Championships held in Amman, Jordan, Kiyuna won the gold medal in the men's kata event. A month later, he won the gold medal in the men's kata event at the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia. In the final, he defeated Wang Yi-ta of Taiwan. In 2019, at the Asian Karate Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, he won the gold medal in both the men's individual kata and men's team kata events.
Kiyuna represented Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He won the gold medal in the men's kata event, becoming Japan's first gold medalist from Okinawa. In the final, he defeated Damián Quintero of Spain. He was also the flag bearer for Japan during the closing ceremony. A few months after the Olympics, he won the gold medal in the men's kata event at the 2021 World Karate Championships held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In December 2021, he won the gold medal in both the men's individual and men's team kata events at the Asian Karate Championships held in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Personal life
He studied at Okinawa International University. In December 2020, he contracted COVID-19.
Kiyuna's mother died in 2019 at the age of 57. At the gold medal ceremony for kata at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Kiyuna paid tribute to his mother's support by carrying a framed picture of her during the proceedings.
Achievements
Year Competition Venue RankEvent2012World ChampionshipsParis, France 3rdIndividual kata 2013World GamesCali, Colombia 3rdIndividual kataWorld Combat GamesSaint Petersburg, Russia 2ndIndividual kataAsian ChampionshipsDubai, United Arab Emirates 3rdIndividual kata2014World ChampionshipsBremen, Germany 1stIndividual kata 2015 Asian Championships Yokohama, Japan 1stIndividual kata 1stTeam kata 2016 World Championships Linz, Austria 1stIndividual kata 1stTeam kata 2017 Asian Championships Astana, Kazakhstan 1stIndividual kata 1stTeam kataWorld GamesWrocław, Poland 1stIndividual kata 2018 Asian Championships Amman, Jordan 1stIndividual kata 1stTeam kataAsian GamesJakarta, Indonesia 1stIndividual kata World Championships Madrid, Spain 1stIndividual kata 1stTeam kata 2019 Asian Championships Tashkent, Uzbekistan 1stIndividual kata 1stTeam kata 2021Summer OlympicsTokyo, Japan 1stIndividual kataWorld ChampionshipsDubai, United Arab Emirates 1stIndividual kata Asian Championships Almaty, Kazakhstan 1stIndividual kata 1stTeam kata2022Asian ChampionshipsTashkent, Uzbekistan 1stTeam kata
References
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