Ryo Kiyuna

Karate’s first Men’s Individual Kata Olympic Champion, Ryo Kiyuna is arguably the most successful kata competitor of his generation. A Ryuei-Ryu practitioner he is a 6x World Champion and 11x Asian Champion. Some have called him the GOAT(Greatest Of All Time).

Kiyuna was born on 12 July 1990, in Okinawa City, Okinawa.

Kiyuna began learning Karate in 1995. He had started Karate because his friend practised it. As a kid he competed in many tournaments, just for fun.

While attending Konan High School, Kiyuna played a lot of baseball.

In 2005 Kiyuna began training under Tsuguo Sakumoto at the Sakumoto Karate Academy. Sakumoto was a practitioner of the Okinawan family style of Ryuei-Ryu. He was also a 3x Kata World Champion. Kiyuna would eventually become one of Sakumoto’s top students.

On graduating from Konan High School, Kiyuna enrolled at the Okinawa International University to study English Literature.

In 2009 Kiyuna joined Arata Kinjo and Takuya Uemura to form a kata team. They were coached by Tsuguo Sakumoto.

Kiyuna competed at the 55th All-Japan Students Championships in 2011. He won the kata title.

In 2012, Kiyuna graduated from Okinawa International University.

Between 26-27 May 2012, Kiyuna won the 2nd East Asian Karatedo Championships, held in Tokyo, Japan.

Kiyuna competed at his first World Karate Championships in Paris, France, between 21-25 November 2012. At the 21st World Karate Championships, he lost to defending World Champion, Antonio Diaz in the semi-final of the Individual Kata event. Diaz retained his title, with Vu Duc Minh Dack in second place. Kiyuna finished in joint third with former World Champion, Luca Valdesi.

Following his success at the World Championships, Kiyuna competed at the 40th All-Japan Karate Championship. He won his first Individual Kata title. He would go onto dominate the event until 2021, with one of the longest winning streaks in the event’s history.

Kiyuna’s next major tournament was the 9th World Games held in Cali, Columbia, between 25 July – 4 August. He finished in third place behind Antonio Diaz and Ibrahim Magdy. He also finished in third place at the 12th Asian Karate Championships, held in Dubai, between 5-7 December.

2014 was a big year for Kiyuna. He won both the Individual and Team Kata events at the Karate1 Premier League event held in Okinawa. He followed this with his first Individual World title. At the 22nd World Karate Championships, held in Bremen, Germany between 5-9 November 2014, Kiyuna defeated Ilja Smorguner in the final of the Individual Kata event. Vu Duc Minh Dack and Antonio Diaz finished in joint third.

This was Kiyuna’s first international title. He had previously struggled to finish at the top of the podium. He had been pushed hard by Tsuguo Sakumoto to improve. He has acknowledged Sakumoto’s strict teaching for his success.

Between 4-6 September 2015 Kiyuna’s success continued at the 13th Asian Karate Championships, held in Yokohama, Japan. He won the Individual Kata title and the Team Kata title, alongside teammates, Arata
Kinjo and Takuya Uemura.

Karate1 Premier League – Okinawa took place in 2016. Kiyuna won his third consecutive Individual Kata and Team titles. Later that year, between 25-30 October he competed at the 23rd World Karate Championships, held in Linz, Austria. He defeated Damian Quintero in the final to win his second Individual Kata title. With teammates Arata Kinjo and Takuya Uemura, Kiyuna won their first World Team Kata title. They defeated France in the final, with Italy and Spain finishing in joint third.

Between 15-17 July 2017, the 14th Asian Karate Championships was held in Astana, Kazakhstan. Kiyuna retained his Individual Kata title, as well as the Team Kata with Kinjo and Uemura.

Kiyuna followed this success several days later at the 10th World Games, held between 20-30 July in Wroclaw, Poland. He defeated Damien Quintero in the final of the Individual Kata. Antonio Diaz finished in third place.

On 16 February 2018, Kiyuna suffered a rare defeat. In the final of the Karate1 Premier League – Dubai, he lost to Damian Quintero. However, he would go onto to become the Premier League Champion of the Year.

Between 13-15 July 2018, Kiyuna resumed his winning ways. At the 15th Asian Karate Championships held in a Aman, Jordan, he retained his Individual Kata title. Alongside Kinjo and Uemura, he also retained his Team Kata title. He followed this was success at the 18th Asian Games, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, between 18 August – 2 September. He won the Individual Kata title.

Between 6-11 November 2018, the 24th World Karate Championships was held in Madrid, Spain. Kiyuna defeated Damian Quintero in another final. Kiyuna won his third consecutive Individual Kata World title. Ali Sofuoglu and Maltia Busato finished in joint third. Kiyuna, alongside teammates Kinjo and Uemura, won another team title. They defeated Spain in the final. Iran and Italy finished in joint third.

At the 16th Asian Karate championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, between 19-21 July 2019, Kiyuna won his fourth Individual Kata title. He also won his fourth consecutive Team title alongside Kinjo and Uemura.

Between 6-8 September 2019, Kiyuna retained his title at the Karate1 Premier League – Tokyo event.

Tragedy struck Kiyuna in 2019, when his mother died at the age of 57.

On 24 January 2020, Kiyuna made history at the Karate1 Premier League – Paris event, by winning his 19th gold medal. This was recognised as a Guinness world record.

In March 2020 the WKF (World Karate Federation) announced that Kiyuna was one of the first athletes to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, due to start on 8 August later that year. However, the Games were cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Games were rescheduled for 2021.

On 13 December 2020, Kiyuna won his 9th consecutive Individual Kata title at the 48th All-Japan Championships. Following Karate’s inclusion in the Tokyo Olympic Games, competitors were saddened to hear that Karate would not be a part of the 2024 Olympics.

Towards the end of 2020, Kiyuna contracted COVID-19. Around the time, Japan had recorded over 194,000 cases resulting in more than 2700 deaths. Kiyuna returned to training in March 2021

Between 5-7 August 2021 history was made as Karate was performed at the Olympic Games for the first time. Unfortunately, because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, they were hardly any spectators permitted at the events.

Sandra Sanchez of Spain made history by winning the first ever Karate gold medal. On 5 August she won the Women’s Individual Kata event.

On 6 August 2021, the Men’s Individual Kata event took place at the Nippon Budokan Pavilion in Tokyo. Kiyuna faced old rival, Damian Quintero, of Spain, in the final. Kiyuna made history by becoming the first winner of the Men’s Individual Kata title. Coming into the Games, he was ranked number three and Quintero was ranked number one. Ariel Torres of the United States and Ali Sofuoglu of Turkey finished in joint third.

Kiyuna was Japan’s only Karate gold medallist. Tsuguo Sakumoto was present at the Games, as his coach. After winning, Kiyuna performed a deep bow to his teacher as a sign of respect. During the medal ceremony, he also paid respect to his mother by carrying a framed photo of her to the podium.

On 8 August 2021, Kiyuna was given the honour of being the flag bearer for Japan, during the Olympic Games closing ceremony.

Following his success at the Olympic Games, on 2 November 2021 the Japanese government announced that Kiyuna would be awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in the Autumn Honours.

On 3 November 2021, a memorial ceremony was held for Kenko Nakaima, the 4th head of Ryuei-Ryu at the Okinawan Karate Kaikan. Kenji Nakaima gave the opening speech. Tsuguo Sakumoto gave a demonstration of Hakutsuru (White Crane Fist). Demonstrations were also given by 200 Ryuei-Ryu students who were mainly from elementary and high school. Kiyuna also gave a demo of the Kata he performed in the Olympic Games final.

Between 16-21 November 2021, the 25th World Karate Championships was held in Dubai. Kiyuna’s, great year continued. He won his fourth consecutive world title, by defeating his rival, Damian Quintero, in the Individual Kata final. Ali Sofuoglu and Maltia Basato finished in joint third.

Kiyuna joined Atsuko Wakai on four world titles. He surpassed his teacher, Tsuguo Sakumoto, and Michael Milon who had both won three world titles.

Kiyuna’s year culminated with victory at the 17th Asian Karate Championships, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan between 20-22 December 2021. He won the Individual Kata title. With teammates Arata Kinjo and Takuya Uemura he also won the Team Kata title.

At the end of 2021, Kiyuna was presented with the Okinawa Prefectural Honor Award.

Between 18-20 December 2022, at the 18th Asian Karate Championships, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Kiyuna won another Team Kata title, alongside Arata Kinjo and Takuya Uemura.

In February 2023 Kiyuna announced his retirement from active competition, after arguably one of the most successful competitive careers.

Many people consider Ryo Kiyuna to be the greatest kata athlete. His record is second to none. A decade of competing, he only lost once. A humble man, for him his greatest honour has been to showcase Okinawan Karate at an international level.

Kiyuna credits his teacher, Tsuguo Sakumoto for all his successes.