It’s a special first for Damián Quintero…
The Argentine Spanish karateka has claimed his first Olympic medal, taking home the silver in the men’s kata event at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the sport’s Olympic debut.
Quintero lost the final bout to Japan’s Ryo Kiyuna by a score of 28.72 to 27.66.
“I promised, I promised myself: I wanted to come to the Olympics to enjoy and I have enjoyed like a kid today. I have given it my everything. Those of you who know me know that I always look sulky when I lose, but not today, today I said to myself: come out smiling in the photo because an Olympic medal for a karate fighter is a big deal. And it doesn’t matter the color,” he said.
Turkey’s Ali Sofuoglu and Ariel Torres Gutierrez of the United States won the bronze medals.
It’s the second kata medal for Spain at this year’s Olympics, following Sandra Sanchez’s gold-medal performance in the women’s kata event.
