Díaz said he had planned to end his career after Tokyo 2020, pushed back to 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 39-year-old, who has been holding virtual lessons from his house in Caracas during the crisis, booked his Olympic place earlier this year.

"Tokyo was going to be my last competition," Diaz said, according to Olympic.org.

"I was going to retire then. 

"I did have three competitions left - the Pan-American Championships in May, maybe one tournament in the World Karate Federation Premier League and the Olympics.

"Now, when they resume the calendar, I will have to do some more tournaments, even one more World Championship. 

"But I am seeing it as something exciting, a new challenge.

"Many people were writing to me a bit worried, saying, 'Ah, now you have to wait one more year [to retire]', but I have been waiting for karate to be in the Olympics for more than 20 years.

"So one more year is no problem for me."

Díaz, a double world champion in the kata discipline, said he is taking the positives from the decision to postpone Tokyo 2020, where karate is set to make its Olympic debut.

"I can rest from almost one-and-a-half years of competitions to qualify," the 16-time Pan American champion added.

"This year I had three months set aside for training because the qualification period was so hard. 

"Now, seeing it in a positive way, I am able to have more time to focus on the things I really want to work on.

"Before, maybe I had one month to work on something. 

"Now, I have many more months. 

"You always need to practice technique and you are always improving, but my physical fitness is something I really need to work on, especially to keep my form to stay one more year."