Garon Wilkinson put another feather in his cap after earning the island’s first World Kickboxing and Karate Association certified Black Belt.

The Bermuda Sanshou Association president obtained a WKA Black Belt 1st Dan after successfully completing a practical and theory examination in Wales this month while supervising the success of the travelling Bermuda team as Kallan Todd, Che Durham and Krista Dyer secured two golds and four silvers on debut at the event.

“I am extremely pleased to have attained my 1st Dan through World Kickboxing and Karate Association, Wilkinson told The Royal Gazette.

“The grading usually takes about four and half hours and we were able to get through in two and half.

“The examiners, who included the president of the World Kickboxing and Karate Association, Dave Sawyer, was very pleased with not only my technique but what I have been doing as a coach and relaying to my students, so I am proud to be Bermuda’s first WKA Black Belt.”

The examination included a range of fighting techniques with both the fist and legs as well as execution and athlete safety.

“Once we went through about 20 single techniques it went to combining the techniques in combos on the pads,” Wilkinson added. “We did about ten rounds on the pads so it really tested your condition and your ability to put combos together.

“Then we had theory on why you throw certain techniques in certain ways, why do emphasise this and the focus on athlete safety and proper execution.”

Wilkinson is now looking forward to putting his expertise to good use.

“It [Black Belt] just puts another feather in my cap and it’s always good to build your resume,” he added. “I have been coaching for years and always like to formalise my teachings.

“It just gives me as an instructor something formal so that if I ever go anywhere internationally I can be listed as an official Black Belt.”