A WODONGA girl has become the youngest to receive a junior black belt at the Border Karate School.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
At just nine, Penrose Delcour was awarded the belt on Saturday by Kancho Nick Habenschuss.
The Trinity College student trains at the Thomas Mitchell Drive dojo up to three times a week and does more at home.
Mr Habenschuss said he had graded more than 100 black belts since he started teaching in 1978.
“If you look at what she was like when she was a white belt to what she is today, it’s a complete transformation,” he said.
“She is the youngest one to have her black belt here, the last one was about 10 years old which would have been 10 years ago.
“It’s about what she was capable of for her age in achieving the skills we expect.
“She is a student that enjoys what she is doing but also always pays attention.”
Penrose started karate just over two years ago because it looked “really fun”.
“I want to keep learning karate and I want to teach people, I like teaching people,” she said.
Her father Arien Delcour said he had tried Sansho-Kan System karate himself, but only lasted six months.
“She saw karate once on TV when she was about three and she always wanted to do it,” he said.
“She had no confidence before she started, she has gained so much now.”
Mum Susan said the achievement was about more than just karate.
“She has learnt how to set goals by doing it, she said she wanted to get her black belt by age 10 but she ended up getting it at nine and a half, so she has done very well,” she said.
“She’s very focused and it has helped with her coordination, balance, core strength and just everything.
“When she comes in here she just thrives, she loves it.”