THREE members of Chelmsford Shotokan Karate Club have passed their black belts exams.
Emma Burke, 26, Romilly Pope, 11, and Aya Rainer, 14, travelled to Guildford in Surrey to be assessed by the Karate Union of Great Britain's examiners sensei Andy Sherry (ninth dan), the UK's first ever Shotokan black belt, and sensei Frank Brennan (seventh dan), a former world kumite and kata champion.
The day started with the KUGB's black and brown belt course, this included Romilly plus six other eager students from Chelmsford.
The class was spilt, so those taking their black belt examination later that day were put through their paces as a final preparation.
A similar format followed for the black belt training. This time the black belts were split into two groups with second to seventh dan grades in one, including ten from Chelmsford, and the first dans with Emma and Aya in the other.
Romilly was excellent throughout the exam and successfully passed her first dan black belt.
In the second dan grading, Chelmsford candidates Emma and Aya were put through an even tougher test by the examiners, but both performed to the high technical standard expected and successfully passed.
CSKC Instructor sensei Jane Naylor-Jones (fifth dan), who attended the day to both train and support the trio, was very pleased with all of them and said: "The KUGB set extremely high expectations so this is a fantastic achievement for Aya, Emma and Romilly.
"This success is based on their hard work, passion and dedication to karate not only just recently but over a number of years. It is this commitment that we have seen in all of our students that has helped us to reach the final three for the Essex Chronicle's Team of the Year Sports Award 2014."
Chelmsford Shotokan Karate train at Dovedale Sports Centre and Anglia Ruskin University.
For more information phone Jane on 07973 672663 or visit their website at chelmsford-karate.co.uk.
