Black Belt success for junior student
Chikara Basingstoke Karate Club is celebrating the success of one of its juniors, Nathan Oliver who successfully passed his first dan (black belt) examination on 4th December 2009. The grading examination was held at Walton on Thames and presided over by Sensei Ohta 6th Dan with Sensei Ismail 5th Dan and Sensei Chubachi Koji from the Japan Karate Association's headquarters in Japan and in attendance.
Nathan (13) began training in 2004 when he was just 8 years old. He showed promise right from the start and quickly climbed through the kyu grades to attain brown belt. Dedication and perseverance is required to work your way through the three brown belt grades and many students give up at this point. But Nathan continued to show perseverance whilst continually improving his kata (forms) kumite (sparing) and khion (basics).
On the day of the examination Nathan showed real spirit against a very awkward opponent in the sparing. Nathan's club Sensei Rob Sibley said "It is a great achievement to obtain a black belt but to do it at the age of 13 is something special. Nathan's objective now must be to push on and develop his basics and kata and apply them to kumite in preparation for his next grade - second dan".
Training for 2010 resumes on 5th January. If you are interested in taking up Karate please call Rob Sibley on 07917 595129 or drop us an email.
