A multi-talented sportsman, who once held the world record in the rapid-fire pistol. He was an accomplished racing driver, participating mainly in long distance races. He was killed when the plane he piloted himself crashed.
In addition to his Olympic silver medal in 1948 in the rapid-fire pistol event Carlos Enrique Díaz Sáenz Valiente also won four medals at the Pan American Games - gold in team 25 m rapid fire pistol (with with Oscar Cervo, Dionisio Fernández, and the non-Olympian Ernesto Guillón) and silver in 25 m rapid fire pistol in 1951 and gold in 25 m rapid fire pistol and silver in team 25 m rapid fire pistol (with Oscar Cervo, Dionisio Fernández, and the non-Olympian Enrique Schack) in 1955.