Goju-Kai Namibia Hosts Senior Karate Grading

Goju-kai Namibia recently hosted a senior grading for black belt levels.

The bigger part of this group, planned to participate in a grading event as part of a cultural exchange in Tokyo, Japan in May 2020. With the COVID-19 impact on travel restrictions – this event was first postponed, and later cancelled, resulting in great disappointment for karate students with grading dreams.

After more postponements which resulted from lockdowns in Namibia and South Africa, the event was finally arranged and took place on 18 September at Walvis Bay. The students were honored to have a very senior grading panel preside over the grading examination, namely:
Peter Brandon (Hanshi) – 8th Dan Vice President International Karate Goju-kai Association, President Africa Karate Goju-kai Association, President South Africa Karate Goju-kai Association.
Trevor Norval (Renshi) – 6th Dan Vice President Africa Karate Goju-kai Association, President Namibia Karate Goju-kai Association
Frank Brandon (Renshi) – 6th Dan, Vice-President Africa Karate Goju-kai Association, Director All Africa Technical Commission, Chief instructor South Africa Karate Goju-kai Association.
Leonard Martin (Renshi) – 6th Dan, Chief Instructor Namibia Karate Goju-kai Association, Director All Africa Technical Commission, Director Region 5 Technical Commission.
Ryan Geyser (Shihan) – 5th Dan, Assistant Chief Instructor Namibia Karate Goju-kai Association.
As a very traditional karate style, black belt gradings in Goku-kai are tough and anxiety was highvfor those tested on their knowledge and application of karate basics and fighting (kumite). The many months of preparation paid off and the following results were achieved:
1st Dan Black Belt (Shodan)
Katja Dedekind, Danika Blaauw, JD Roussouw, Brett Geyser , Rudolf Kintscher, Jacques Beukes, Alexander Neidel, Anthony Palmer, Werner Ahrens, Levi Strauss and Isaiah Oskarson
2nd Dan Black Belt (Nidan)
Wiana Groenewald, Jay-Dean Martin, Brandon-Lee Martin, Nathan Goliath, Nathan Augustus, Nathan Goliath, Jiejaad Daniels and Westley Marshall
3rd Dan Black Belt (Sandan)
Lester Meyer, Katelin Martin, Timmy Bergh and Kyle Leguma
4th Dan Black Belt (Yondan)
Ziggy Hentze, Shaun Willemse, Burtie Woest and Bruno Lourenco
The level displayed at the grading was of a very high quality, and the seniors who graded to 3rd Dan and up are now considered international instructors in the International Karate-Do Goju-kai (IKGA) Associa-tion, which is also a member of the Namibia Karate Federation.
Namibia Goju-kai has a long history with Japan with its Founder and President, Renshi Shihan Trevor Norval (6th Dan black belt) training under the founder of the style during his earlier years in karate.
The style of Goju Kai was introduced to Namibia when Trevor Norval returned to Namibia in 1990. Since those humble beginnings, dojos have been established in Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay offering traditional karate teachings as well as sport karate. Goju Kai Namibia with the dedication of its senior instructors has since produced some highly qualified karateka who have proved themselves in the lo-cal and international karate arena. The current Chief Instructor of Goju-kai, Leonard Martin, has also a long history of success in the style and on the competition floor.
Goju-Kai Namibia offers tuition to all ages at their dojos in Walvis Bay, Windhoek, Otjiwarongo and Swakopmund. For more information, please contact, Walvis Bay: Shihan Leonard Martin (081-129 7015), Swakopmund: Sensei Sammy Neumann (081-277 7522), Windhoek: Sensei Ryan Geyser (081-127 6341), Otjiwarongo: Sensei Burtie Woest (081-240 3382).