Luke Lumsden is on the adventure of a lifetime competing at the Okinawa Karate World Tournament in Japan.
The year 11 Gunnedah High School student from Curlewis said the tournament will be the ultimate test after years of training and preparation.
“People from around the world travel to Okinawa to compete at this,” Luke said.
“It has taken me 10 years of training and commitment.”
A first dan black belt, Luke will compete in the Uechi-Ryu discipline in Japan.
“It’s a hard style of karate, focused on building up the body, trying to be as practical for self defence as it can be,” he said.
To qualify, he was recommended by his peers – some who will travel with him to Japan including his Tamworth instructor and sixth dan black belt, Clint Chaffey.
Luke is understandably a little nervous about his international debut but confident he has laid the foundation to achieve his best.
Mum and dad, Carrie and Brian, are thrilled to see Luke realise his ambition.
“I can’t put into words how proud I am,” a beaming Carrie said.
“He has worked so hard …. we do a lot of travel to Tamworth for karate and it’s all worth it.
“It’s not just about the discipline of karate, it’s the young man he’s always been.
“He has found his passion and he’s never missed a lesson – he’s been committed every single lesson.
“I’m over the moon, not just for his karate, but the person Luke is.”
She also thanked Luke’s karate mentors who have guided him every step of his journey.
“The nurturing and kindness they have shown him … it becomes family,” Carrie said.
“They look at Luke like another son because he’s been going there for so long.”
Such is his dedication, Luke has also set his sights on a karate career post-school and hoped to open his own Dojo, or karate school.
“I want to be an instructor here in Gunnedah,” Luke said.
“There’s no need to go anywhere else, there’s plenty of opportunity here for it.”
Luke will leave shortly for the week-long tournament in Japan before also visiting some historical sites in Japan related to karate and its culture.
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