Tenerife Gymnast Orian Díaz Aims for Junior World Championship Final in Philippines

Tenerife gymnast Orian Díaz, who trains at the Madrid High Performance Center, is competing this week at the Junior World Championships in the Philippines. This marks a significant moment in his promising career.

Díaz, who recently turned 18, is quickly becoming a star in Spanish gymnastics. He showed this with an impressive performance at the 2025 Spanish Championships, where he won three gold medals and one bronze.

His success at the national championships, along with his qualification for the World Championships, shows a steady improvement. This is the result of careful planning and intense training, which only a dedicated athlete could manage.

Díaz follows a demanding training schedule. He trains twice a day, six days a week, with sessions lasting three hours in the morning and three in the afternoon. He only takes breaks on Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings. He described his preparation for the World Championships as "quite tough," but added that he tries to "enjoy it as much as possible, because in the end, it's what he loves."

Qualifying for the World Championships was his main goal from the start of the season. As soon as he knew the event was happening, he was determined to be there.

To qualify, Spanish gymnasts had to compete in three trials. The two best all-around scores from these trials determined who would go to the World Championships. Orian consistently performed well and secured his place to represent Spain.

Before heading to the Philippines, Díaz had a standout performance at the 2025 Spanish Gymnastics Championships. He won gold medals on three different apparatus and a bronze.

Representing Spain is a lifelong dream for Díaz. At 18, he feels the responsibility of representing the Canary Islands at a World Championship, especially as gymnastics is growing in the region. He looks up to gymnasts like Rayderley Zapata and the legendary Kōhei Uchimura. He admires Zapata's "grit, desire, and ease" in performing routines, and considers Uchimura "one of the best in history."

The World Championships in the Philippines will be the end of his junior career and the beginning of his transition to the senior category. Díaz acknowledges that moving up will be challenging but isn't afraid. He expects it to be "different" and is prepared for the change.

In the senior category, he will compete against gymnasts he has admired for years. However, he is confident in his ability to adapt and believes that with motivation, the transition will be "easier."

Díaz's goal for the World Championships is to reach the all-around final. Looking ahead, he plans to join the senior national team and compete in major events like the European and World Championships. His ultimate ambition is to compete in the Olympic Games, which he calls "the greatest thing."