Astrid fights her way to a first black belt

With more than 10 years of JKA karate experience under her belt, Astrid convincingly obtained her first dan (Shodan) black belt, at the National Dan Gradings in Johannesburg recently.

July 27, 2019

Newcastle Advertiser 1 minute read

Astrid Gaballero (front) with some of the senior karateka from Newcastle. Photo submitted by Sensei, Johan Swart.

Dedication, skill and strength abound in the talented Astrid Gaballero, from the Northern KwaZulu-Natal JKA karate dojo.

With more than 10 years of JKA karate experience under her belt, Astrid convincingly obtained her first dan (Shodan) black belt, at the National Dan Gradings in Johannesburg recently.

Astrid has given up precious free time, including holidays and weekends to train for the grading, and her preparation leading up to the event included extensive training of approximately eight to twelve hours a week.

She also travelled to surrounding JKA dojos for extra guidance and a fresh outlook, which also assisted with her mental preparation.

Becoming a black belt in JKA karate is not just hard work and dedication, it takes commitment and years of endless training, where one is not only taught the fine art and technique that is karate, but where one also learns the ‘way of the warrior’, by practicing the five maxims of karate in one’s daily life: character, sincerity, effort, etiquette and self-control.

“True grit and determination carried Astrid through the tough and strenuous initiation, which is an absolute must before one can wear the desired belt. Having proven worthy, the belt is tied around the hips in a true Japanese traditional way by a senior black belt, making Astrid part of the NKZN JKA black belt family,” said Sensei, Johan Swart.