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SHIHAN Bas van Stenis, from the Kyokushin Karate Club in Green Point, recently returned from Japan after being asked to be an official at the All Japan Open Karate Tournament.

Van Stenis also took five of his students with him to participate in the event. Although most of the students were unable to make it past the first round, due to the enormous pressure at a tournament of this size, it proved to be a rewarding experience for most.

Justin Petersen was definitely the local club's star at the tournament as he battled his way to third place in his division.

Van Stenis has started training for the year and is looking forward to the club's 10th anniversary.

He is currently one of the most experienced instructors in the South African Kyokushin community, having dedicated 43 years to the sport and, aged 65, he has no intention of stopping just yet.

"My first encounter with karate was in 1964 in the Kenpo Karate Club, in Long Street, with Shihan Len Barnes," says Van Stenis.

From then on, the late Shihan Len Barnes became his mentor and teacher in the martial art. He achieved his Shodan in 1970, and a year later he opened the first Kyokushin Honbu in Cape Town with Barnes, which became the breeding ground for many top karate-ka over the years. He also captained the South African national team which participated in the First World Karate Tournament, in Tokyo, in 1975.

"I won my first fight, but unfortunately my second fight was against the fourth seeded Japanese fighter, Higashidani, against whom I lost on a decision. He was also probably the toughest opponent I ever came up against during my career," says Van Stenis.

"My greatest achievement in karate had to be when I won the South African Championship in Cape Town in 1977. I fought against the likes of Peter Thage, from the old Transvaal, and other top South African fighters. After the tournament, I retired from fighting at 35 and decided to concentrate on teaching."

Van Stenis was appointed as an international referee in 1985 and has officiated at many of the biggest tournaments both here and overseas.

"My main ambition now is to give back my karate experience, using karate to empower the youth," he says.

He is also following in the footsteps of his mentor, and will continue to work towards the reconciliation of the various Kyokushin groups which formed after the death of the founder of Kyokushin Karate, Sosei Matsutatsu Oyama.

Van Stenis holds karate training from Monday to Friday every week and welcomes students from as young as four to come and learn the art of Kyokushin. See the website, www.karatekyokushin.za.org.

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