Nine karateka from Grahamstown and Port Alfred moved one step closer to becoming black belts at a recent grading held on Rhodes University campus.
Nine karateka from Grahamstown and Port Alfred moved one step closer to becoming black belts at a recent grading held on Rhodes University campus.
The East Cape Shotokan-Ryu (ECSR) karateka successfully achieved various levels of brown belt grades. Held in conjunction with the grading was a regional training session hosted by the Rhodes University Shotokan Karate Club. South African Shotokan Karate Academy (Saska) provincial style-head Sensei Kenny Tawse of Port Elizabeth conducted both the training session and grading.
According to ECSR head instructor Gary Grapentin the training was well supported with karateka travelling from various towns and cities to participate. He commended the successful candidates on passing their gradings. “Once a karateka has been awarded brown belt, he or she is considered as a possible candidate for shodan (first dan black belt),” Grapentin said.
“It is therefore imperative that the candidate makes an even greater commitment to karate, and trains with an ever increasing amount of effort and intensity,” he added. The candidates have all been training for at least five years or more.
The results are as follows: Junior Brown 1 (U16) Brent Smith Francois Botha Riaan Labuschagne Third Kyu Brown Belt (16+) Ben Kirkaldy Bev Cumings Anne Cumings Mel Ackerman Nic Mennega Second Kyu Brown Belt (16+) Kevin Aitchison
