[3] Díaz changed his focus to the 1500 metres from 1997 onwards and he knocked more than six seconds off his personal best that year, setting a time of 3:34.52 minutes.

[4] He ran another fast time at the 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships the following month, just a little slower than Elliott's former record, but was beaten by Haile Gebrselassie and Laban Rotich, taking the bronze medal for his first podium finish on the major stage.

[5] The 1999 World Championships in Athletics in Seville saw Díaz, alongside Reyes Estévez and Fermín Cacho, vying for the 1500 m medals on home turf.

In the fastest race ever seen at the competition, Díaz ran a personal best of 3:31.83 minutes but he ended up behind his compatriots with a fifth-place finish.

After this performance he ran the best 1500 m of his career at the Herculis meet in Monaco, completing the distance in a time of 3:31.48 minutes.