Ryo Kiyuna, who won the gold medal in the men's kata of karate at the Tokyo Olympics, has announced his retirement.
Kiyuna is 32 years old.
He grew up in Okinawa Prefecture, which is said to be the birthplace of karate, and has been active as a leading figure in Japanese kata with his strong performance of sharp thrusts and kicks.
At the Tokyo Olympics two years ago, when karate was introduced as a new sport, he won a gold medal and was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon, which is given to those who have made achievements in fields such as sports.
In addition, he won the All Japan Championship ten years in a row, the first in history, and won the World Championship four times in a row, demonstrating his overwhelming ability and presence both in Japan and overseas.
Last year, he did not participate in the individual competition at the tournament, and according to the All Japan Karatedo Federation, he was informed that he would retire from active duty on the 30th of last month.
Kiyuna will hold a press conference in his hometown of Okinawa on the 17th of next month to explain why he decided to retire.