Aleksander, 9, is youngest black belt in history of karate club

A nine-year-old boy has become the youngest member in the history of Chesterfield Shotokan Karate Club to be awarded the coveted black belt.

By The Newsroom

Published 25th Mar 2019, 16:06 BST

Updated 25th Mar 2019, 16:13 BST

Aleksander Bendinger, who has gained a karate black belt at the age of nine.

What’s more, Aleksander Bendinger, who is from Newbold, is one of the youngest shotokan black belts in England.

Never before in 48 years of the club has one so young achieved the feat. But Aleksander, who started karate at the age of five, managed it after a Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB) course and exam, held in Abingdon, near Oxford.

The grading examiners for the course were world-renowned martial arts teachers, Andy Sherry 9th dan and Billy Higgins eighgh dan.

The Chesterfield club celebrates its 50th anniversary of teaching karate in the town in 2021. If you would like to join, go to its website at www.cskc.co.uk