He defeated Russia’s Magomed Gaglev in the final, with Italy’s future Tokyo 2020 champion Vito Dell’Aquila earning bronze.

Since then he has earned a good number of medals on the tour and has maintained a high level of consistency in the Europeans in his established under-58kg flyweight category, earning silver in 2021 and bronze in 2022.

This year, however, he has hit the richest seam in his career so far.

After taking bronze in the Belgian Open and winning the Austrian Open he went to Baku for the World Championships with confidence high and emerged with a bronze medal after losing his semi-final to the eventual gold medallist Bae Jun-seo of South Korea.

The breakthrough of earning his first global medal was followed by another first as, after winning four Grand Prix bronze medals over the years, he won his first Grand Prix gold, in Rome on the day before his 24^th birthday.

"It feels incredible, and it is the best birthday present that I could have asked for!" he told World Taekwondo.

For the Spaniard, trusting the process and relying on his coaches’ expertise are crucial components of his success. 

He believes that hard work and dedication are the keys to progression, patiently waiting for his time to come while putting his faith in the team behind him.

"I think it is all about progression and hard work," he added. "Trusting the process and waiting for your time to come, so I knew gold would come.

"If I qualify for Paris 2024, of course I will be looking to get a gold medal.

"I am always fighting for gold medals."

The truth of his words was underlined in his next event - the third European Games in Krakow-Malopolska - where he finished on the top step once again.

En route to his victory over Ireland’s Jack Woolley in the final he defeated the 2021 European champion, France’s Cyrian Ravel.

Vicente Yunta appears to be in the form of his life - good timing for Paris 2024.