- November 16, 2024
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Martial arts top notches
After five extensive tests at our home dojo and a final rank evaluation at the national seminar under the association’s board of masters and witnessed by students from dojos across the IKA, Jukido Academy students Kayla Dance, David Petkovsek, Jenelle Codianne and Karina Kuchta were promoted to the prestigious first-degree black belt in Jukido Jujitsu. The Jukido dojo has seen thousands of members since opening its doors in October 1999, but only 22 have reached the “shodan” plateau.
“It’s a very big deal. A lot of people view the black belt as the end of the journey, but it’s sort of like a beginning,” sensei George Rego said. “We try to hold ourselves to a standard where it’s hard to come by. With all due respect, you don’t see 8-10-year-olds running around with black belts at our dojo.”
Rego was also promoted to a fifth-degree black belt, which carries the official title of Master, and is one of the rare events in all of Japanese martial arts. After 24 years of full-time dedication to the art and an extreme physical test of skill administered by the art’s current masters, Rego became only one of seven individuals alive with Master rank in the art of Jukido Jujitsu.
“When I started martial arts and saw all of the masters, they were all older guys, so it seemed like something so distant and far away, so it’s a big deal for me personally,” he said. “It definitely caught me off guard, and the physical examination for that rank was a doozy, but it got the job done. So, I’m proud and honored and, more than anything, humbled.”
Jukido Academy is located at 4721 East Moody Blvd., Units 307 and 308. Call 445-8754
GOD-GIVEN STRENGTH
While it may have been his first run in the USA Powerlifting competitions, Dante Bell is no stranger to the sport. He proved that when he broke three state records at the fourth-annual USAPL Central Florida Open Powerlifting Championships on Saturday, July 25, in Orlando.
Bell broke the previous bench record (220) with 275 pounds, squat (330) with 336 pounds and the overall total weight (909) by 100 pounds to win his division championship.
“It’s pretty overwhelming because God has done some wonderful works in my life,” Bell said. “Going to that meet and breaking state records is incredible because everything I do is for Him, and He’s blessed me with God-given talent.”
