American karateka Ariel Torres won bronze in kata, outperforming two-time world champion and retiring Venezuelan legend Antonio Diaz on Friday at the Nippon Budokan.
The margin was razor-thin, Torres emerging victorious with a 26.72-26.34 score line.
Also contested Friday were the women's 61kg and men's 75kg kumite classes. Only one American was involved, and Thomas Scott won two matches and lost two others to finish a point shy of advancing to the semifinals.
The semifinals and gold medal bouts will be staged later Friday.
