Antonio José Díaz Fernández (born June 12, 1980) is a Venezuelan karateka. He is best known for winning gold medals in kata at the World Championships in Serbia (2010) and France (2012),LaVoz. "Antonio Díaz es bicampeón del mundo", 24 Nov 2012. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017. winning of the World Games in Cali, Colombia (2013), and Duisburg, Germany (2015),El Espectador. "El karateca Antonio Díaz obtuvo oro en los Juegos Mundiales", 27 Jul 2013. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017. and a silver medal in the World Championships in Japan 2008. He won bronze medals at the WKF World Championships in karate in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2014, and 2016 in the men's individual kata. He has also won 23 Pan American Karate Federation Senior Championships Medals 23 times to date.Contrapunto. "Antonio Díaz debuta este viernes en el Panamericano de Curazao", Caracas, 25 May 2017. Retrieved on 25 May 2017.El Nacional. "Antonio Díaz revalidó la corona panamericana en Curazao", Caracas, 29 May 2017. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

He represented Venezuela at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He lost his bronze medal match in the men's kata event. Díaz obtained an Olympic diploma.Líder en Deportes. "Covered in glory! Antonio Díaz says goodbye with an Olympic diploma", Retrieved on 18 Oct 2022.

Antonio Díaz holds the Guinness world record for the most medals won at World Karate Championships.Guinness World Records. "Most medals won at the World Karate Championship (male)", Retrieved on 28 Apr 2019.

Karate

Díaz practices the style of Shito-ryu.

Early years Diaz's first achievement was reaching gold at the 5th Young Pan American Karate Do Championship back in 1993 in Salinas, Puerto Rico.Sala de Espera. "Más que un deportista Antonio Díaz es un artista marcial", Aug 2013. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

Diaz won his first Olympic Cycle competition at the 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games held in Maracaibo, Venezuela.Sports Venezuela. "Antonio Díaz participa en los Juegos Centroamericanos y del Caribe", 29 Nov 2014. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017. Nowadays, Diaz holds the following medals in Olympic Cycle competitions: three gold medals at the Bolivarian Games,El Estímulo. "Antonio Díaz gana primer oro en kárate para Venezuela en Juegos Bolivarianos", 21 Nov 2017. Retrieved on 28 Apr 2019. five at the South American Games,Caraota Digital. "Antonio Díaz: son 20 años logrando medalla de oro en Suramericanos" , 28 May 2018. Retrieved on 28 Apr 2019. six at the Central American and Caribbean Games,Panorama. "Antonio Díaz ganó su sexta medalla de oro en juegos Centroamericanos" , 25 Jul 2018. Retrieved on 28 Apr 2019. and one gold and one silver at the Pan American Games.El Periódico de Monagas. "Antonio Díaz conquistó un nuevo título" , 18 Abr 2014. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

He participated at the Young WKF World Championship in 1999 in Sofia, Bulgaria, where finished ninth.KARATEbyJesse. "Antonio Diaz – World Karate Champion (pt. 2)", 24 Mar 2011. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

Diaz has participated at the PKF Pan American Championship since 1998 achieving gold 16 times and reaching the podium in every edition.Inside The Games. "Diaz secures 10th straight Pan American Karate Championships title in Curaçao", 27 May 2017. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

Diaz has two gold medals and three bronze ones achieved at the World Games. He finished at the third place at the 2017 edition.World Karate Federation. "NEW KINGS AND QUEENS OF THE WORLD GAMES CROWNED", 25 Jul 2017. Retrieved on 25 Jul 2017.

He won the two first staging of the Premier League Karate1 in 2011 and 2012.El Universal. "Antonio Díaz revalidó el título en el Open de Salzburgo", 08 Dec 2012. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

Karate World Championships The Karate World Championships are the highest level of competition for karate organised by the World Karate Federation. Antonio Diaz has reached the podium in the kata category eight times. He has won the gold twice, holding the world champion title.800Noticias. "Antonio Díaz y Andrés Madera ganan medallas de bronce en Mundial de Karate", 29 Oct 2016. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

Tokyo 2008 was his first time at the final round. He earned the silver medal after losing a tight battle against Luca Valdesi with the score 3–2.La Nación. "El venezolano Antonio Díaz logra la plata en kata en el Mundial de karate", 14 Nov 2008. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017. His first gold medal would come two years later in Belgrade 2010 against Valdesi with the score 4–1.

In Paris 2012 he was World Champion again. Moreover, he finished with the perfect score of 5-0 all his encounters, an unprecedented situation in the competition. The final competition was against the local karateka Minh Dack.CubaSports. "Venezuelan Antonio Diaz Wins Gold in World Championship of Karate", 24 Nov 2012. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

The 2014 championship held in Bremen, Germany, was not easy for Diaz. He encountered at first round Mattia Busato, who was the European champion at that time. Nevertheless, he won with the tight score 3–2. He fell in quarter finals against the German Ilja Smorguner.El Venezolano News. "Venezolano Antonio Díaz conquistó medalla de bronce en Mundial de Karate" , 29 Oct 2016. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

He reached the podium in Linz 2016. This time he lost in semi-finals against Ryo Kiyuna with a 3–2 score, but he won the repechage with a 5–0 score against the Malaysian W. Lim Chee.New Straits Times. "Four medal-finish still a possibility for Malaysia in World Karate Championships", 28 Oct 2016. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

In the 2018 World Championship held in Madrid, Diaz lost his semifinal round to Spain's Damian Quintero 0–5.

Records He won the 2012 World Karate Championships with a perfect score of 5–0 in every competition.El Universal. "Antonio Díaz: Fue un momento mágico", 24 Nov 2012. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

Díaz is the only athlete that has been in the podium eight times in a row at the World Karate Championships. This record comprises his medals from 2002 to 2016.NotiTarde. "Octavo podio en fila De Antonio Díaz" , 30 Oct 2016. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017. Thanks to this accomplishment, he was included in the Guinness World Records.Guinness World Records. "Most medals won at the World Karate Championship (male)", Retrieved on 28 Apr 2019.

He is the only American athlete that has reached 22 individual Pan-American medals. He won a medal in every competition.Analítica. "Antonio Díaz agranda su leyenda tras su participación en el Panamericano de Panamá". Retrieved on 28 Apr 2019. Additionally, between January 2010 and August 2012, he did not lose any international encounter. He kept the first place at the WKF ranking for 4 consecutive years.Karate Records. "Antonio José Díaz Fernández: Complete karate results and charts - WKF". Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

Rivalries

Luca Valdesi Between 2001 and 2012, Diaz encountered 19 times the Italian Luca Valdesi. Diaz won 9 times; their last encounter was during the Germany 2012 Premier League.Karate y algo más..."Perseverancia, pasión y amor son claves en la carrera de Antonio Díaz", 10 Dec 2016. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

Ryo Kiyuna Ryo Kiyuna is the current world champion in the kata category. He has encountered Diaz 6 times; Diaz won five of these occasions.Unión Radio. "Antonio Díaz buscará el bronce en Campeonato Mundial de Karate" , 26 Oct 2016. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

Personal life Diaz holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication with a Major in Advertisement by the Caracas-based Andrés Bello Catholic University. He also holds a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach qualification by the US-based National Strength Conditioning Association.Correo del Caroní. "Antonio Díaz: en Venezuela hay un potencial muy grande en el karate", 17 Feb 2014. Retrieved on 08 Jun 2017.

References

External links

Antonio José Díaz Fernandez at KarateRec.com