HEREFORD Contact Karate Club instructor and Combat Academy Coach Simon Small rounded off a most triumphant year by collecting his English Contact Karate Associa-tion's fourth degree black belt, his highest award in his martial arts career to date.
This was a fitting end to a successful year of competition for Small who claimed two National Karate titles, being undefeated in Ju Jutsu Kumite, the NJJKC Overall Grand Champions title, a silver medal in the European Championships, and two bronze medals in the Pan American Brazilian Jui Jitsu Championships.
The ECKA 4th Dan award makes Small one of only four people within ECKA to hold the rank, and is only given to skilled and dedicated individuals who meet the highest standards.
Small, who already holds black belts in Shukokia and Shotokan Karate, Judo, and a blue belt in Brazilian Jui Jitsu, said: "For me this year has been my best, competing successfully in all disciplines and this is the icing on the cake.
"My students have trained hard and the clubs have taken no less than seven national karate titles and our first junior British Ju Jutsu Champion title."
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