Local Ju-Jitsu students among successful black belt graduates

Ballymena men Liam Gordon, Barry Gordon and Barry McCoy who achieved the coveted 3rd Degree Black Belt, pictured with Shihan David Toney.

Students from all over Ireland came together to be assessed for the prestigious award after a four year training programme.

To get to this stage many of their peers have already fallen by the wayside, so it is only those that have met the exacting programme of assessments who have reached this stage.

Several of the candidates were successfully graded in higher Dan grades with three Ballymena men achieving the coveted 3rd Degree Black Belt.

The grade is such that they are not permitted to attempt it until they have trained for a minimum of nine years.

Their success in this has earned them the position of Technical Officer within an elite committee of the World Ju Jitsu Federation.

Country rep and Senior Coach at The Dojo at Woodside Road, David Toney, said: “We are extremely proud of our members who went forward representing Ballymena.

“They were of an extremely strong calibre and showed our centre as one of the best technically in the country. They have really put the work in over the years and that hard work was tested to the limit this weekend.”