Ryo Kiyuna


Ryo Kiyuna 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.
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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

YearCompetitionVenueRankEvent
2012World ChampionshipsParis, France3rdIndividual kata
2013World GamesCali, Colombia3rdIndividual kata
2013World Combat GamesSaint Petersburg, Russia2ndIndividual kata
2013Asian ChampionshipsDubai, United Arab Emirates3rdIndividual kata
2014World ChampionshipsBremen, Germany1stIndividual kata
2015Asian ChampionshipsYokohama, Japan1stIndividual kata
2015Asian ChampionshipsYokohama, Japan1stTeam kata
2016World ChampionshipsLinz, Austria1stIndividual kata
2016World ChampionshipsLinz, Austria1stTeam kata
2017Asian ChampionshipsAstana, Kazakhstan1stIndividual kata
2017Asian ChampionshipsAstana, Kazakhstan1stTeam kata
2017World GamesWrocław, Poland1stIndividual kata
2018Asian ChampionshipsAmman, Jordan1stIndividual kata
2018Asian ChampionshipsAmman, Jordan1stTeam kata
2018Asian GamesJakarta, Indonesia1stIndividual kata
2018World ChampionshipsMadrid, Spain1stIndividual kata
2018World ChampionshipsMadrid, Spain1stTeam kata
2019Asian ChampionshipsTashkent, Uzbekistan1stIndividual kata
2019Asian ChampionshipsTashkent, Uzbekistan1stTeam kata
2021Summer OlympicsTokyo, Japan1stIndividual kata
2021World ChampionshipsDubai, United Arab Emirates1stIndividual kata
2021Asian ChampionshipsAlmaty, Kazakhstan1stIndividual kata
2021Asian ChampionshipsAlmaty, Kazakhstan1stTeam kata
2022Asian ChampionshipsTashkent, Uzbekistan1stTeam kata