SINCE the age of five, newly graded black belt karateka Abigail Sueltz has dedicated her life and time to the art of karate.
For nine years, the grade 8 Grosvenor Girls High pupil practised for three days a week to enable her to climb the ladder to reach her goal of becoming a black belt and the youngest Sensei (teacher) in her Bluff karate club.
In a special assembly held at school on Monday, 30 July, Abigail demonstrated her skills to fellow pupils in the hope of encouraging others to join the Bluff-based Funakoshi Karate International club. “It’s a great sport to learn discipline and to work on your fitness. I train three days a week and it’s not easy. It’s a lot of hard work but the achievement at the end of the day is worth it,” she said.
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The 13-year-old has trained under the guidance of her Sensei and father, Shaun Sueltz who introduced her to martial arts.
As part of her black belt and future, she is required to teach and become a Sensei herself. “I teach a class of five-year-olds,” she said. “It’s tough but it is teaching me patience.”
Her father Shaun is extraordinarily proud of his daughter, as she is the first karateka under his wing to attain her black belt. “I am proud of her and all my students. I just want to tell them to never stop learning and don’t be afraid to ask questions. We are the original Funakoshi Karate International and we are proud of it,” he said.
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