Okinawa’s Kiyuna mesmerises to win men’s kata gold

TOKYO: Japan’s Ryo Kiyuna (pic) took men’s kata karate gold, demonstrating his supremacy in the martial art form that originated in his native Okinawa a day after his compatriot conceded karate’s maiden Olympic gold to her Spanish rival.

While the women’s kata event had been a nail-biting affair between the perennial top two – Sandra Sanchez and Kiyou Shimizu – Kiyuna’s gold seemed almost inevitable from the start, his high scores in the early rounds drawing gasps from some journalists in the spectatorless arena.