ROY Tomlinson proved age is no barrier after gaining his 2nd Dan Black Belt.
Roy, 62, is an instructor at the Kuon Ji Ju-Jitsu Association’s Oswaldtwistle club and became the oldest student at the school to gain the award.
Head Coach of the Association, Tony Gregson said: "Everyone had to do the same grading syllabus.
"Roy has trained hard and for a great length of time to make sure that he was ready and able to complete everything asked of him on the grading day, and he did it all superbly and did not hold back at all.
"Roy is a credit to our Association, his club and to himself and is an inspiration to all older people who think that just because they get old they can’t do things."
His fellow instructor and training partner Rob Tymon also gained his 2nd Dan Black Belt at the grading in Blackburn.
"It was a hard grading which included all the techniques learned over the last ten years being carried out left handed, which for most people who are right handed, is pretty difficult to master," continued the Head Coach.
On the same day, Danny McKinlay, from Kuon Ji’s Clayton Club, passed his 1st Dan Black Belt.
"Danny has been training for over eight years for this grade, starting when he was in his early teens," said Tony.
"He has always been dedicated and trained regularly with great enthusiasm. His grading lasted for over an hour, and was very demanding."
It included performing over 150 throws on several senior Black Belt members followed by various combination and counter techniques.
"All the skills that Danny has learnt over the years were tested to the full, and he came out of it completely exhausted," the coach added.
And Olivia Critchley became the first female from Kuon Ji’s Oswaldtwistle Club to gain a Junior Black Belt grade.
Oswaldtwistle’s Head Coach, Max Robinson has several girls who are on Brown Belt at the moment is hoping there will be more female Black Belts soon.
"Olivia is the first to make it," said Max, who has been running the Oswaldtwistle club running for 10 years. "She has a brilliant attitude and has really come on over the last six months.
"Although only 13, she has been training with our Senior class and this has improved her techniques, timing and endurance.
"It can be a big step going up to a senior class from a junior class but Olivia has managed it brilliantly.
"Her grading was hard as she had to fight male as well as female opponents. She will continue to train at Oswaldtwistle, working hard towards her Senior 1st Dan Black Belt."
The grading panel included Kuon Ji Ju-Jitsu Association Head Coach, Sensei Tony Gregson 6th Dan, Association Senior Coach, Sensei Max Robinson 4th Dan, Sensei Peter Doyle 2nd Dan, and Blackburn Martial Arts expert, Sensei Simon Jones 6th Dan.
Kuon Ji Ju-Jitsu Association has over 200 members locally and runs clubs at the Library building in Clayton le Moors, West End Community Centre in Oswaldtwistle, Moorhead Sports College in Accrington, The Dunkenhalgh Leisure Centre and at Stoneyhurst College in Clitheroe.
