The BVI now has its first sixth Dan Black Belt Shihan, five new first degree black belts and one new second degree black belt in the martial arts discipline of Don Jitsu Ryu.
The seven residents achieved their latest accomplishment in the discipline at the recently concluded Group of Dragons Don Jitsu Ryu Black Belt Grading Number 147 in Trinidad and Tobago.
They are Bevon Baptiste – who upgraded from the rank of Sensei to Shihan to become the highest ranked black belt in the BVI in Don-Jitsu-Ryu, Chancellor Neita – who upgraded to second Degree Black Belt, and Xhayne Pemberton, Noah Fox, Kya Ridgeway, J’Alon Penn and Michaela Potter who upgraded to Jet Black Belts.
At a recent ceremony held by the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Instructor Shihan Baptiste commended the other six participants for their achievements in the discipline.
Shihan Baptiste also spoke about some of the intense training each competitor had to undergo prior to grading and also addressed some of the misconceptions surrounding the discipline of martial arts.
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