IKKI Black Belt Ranking 2019
In spite of these difficult pandemic times, the IKKI has kept active. With ‘Zoom Karate’ during lockdown and back to class at the end of June, karate is business as usual albeit under the strict ‘return to sport guidelines’ issued by Government, Sport Ireland and the NGB.
A milestone in a students karate career is attaining black belt status. Students and instructors who ranked (black belt exam) in December 2019 received their new ranks recently. The official ranks come from Yokohama, Japan and are presented at our national spring tournament in April every year but we were in pandemic lockdown then.
This Black Belt ranking was a special occasion for the Loughrea dojo as there were eight from the club graduating. This occasionally happens where a group of students from the same dojo are due to rank at the same time. Congratulations to Sensei Kevin Casey for keeping such a group motivated and together. Loughrea group with Sensei Kevin Casey (centre). Photo taken on the day of the ranking and before COVID-19 restrictions.
Left to right: 1st Dan degree, Mark Daniels, Brian O’Brien, Aoibhín Hodgins, Ciara Burke, Shane Murphy, Alanah Doherty, Saoirse Hodgins and Niall Sugrue.
Left to right: Sensei’s Shane Horan (2nd Dan), Marcus Doherty (2nd Dan), Eoin Dolphin (3rd Dan), Colin O’Connell (3rd Dan) and Joe Gunter (3rd Dan).
Congratulations to all students and instructors who ranked to their first black belt and instructors who ranked to 2nd & 3rd Dan degree black belt. They are a credit to their coaches and families and themselves.