Youngest Bermudian Female Awarded Black Belt

Sunday March 3rd in Japan saw female Bermudian Signe Constable awarded her Shodan rank (1st Degree Black Belt) at the Aikido Hombu Dojo World Headquarters in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. At just 18 years of age, she is Bermuda’s youngest female blackbelt in the Japanese art.

Signe is pictured below with sensei Smith at Bermuda Aikikai seminar last summer in Bermuda.

Signe was part of 7 other people testing for Shodan as well as 5th, 4th & 2nd Kyu (just below black belt) as well as Nidan (2nd degree black belt), Sandan (3rd degree) and Yondan (4th degree) tests. It was a larger than usual testing day.

There were 3 examiners present; Miyomoto Sensei (7th dan shihan), Kanazawa sensei (7th dan shihan), and T. Sazuki Sensei (5th Dan Shidoin). All three of them confer and all need to agree that someone deserves the rank they’re testing for.

Signe started her training in aikido in 1998, under Collins Smith sensei rokudan, (6th dan) Chief Instructor and founder of Bermuda Aikikai in the kids program. She took a year and a half off to pursue other activities and then came back full time.

Signe is currently training and studying in Japan as well as working as an assistant instructor for the kids program over there. She has been in Japan since August 2012 and trains 5-6 days per week herself.

#BermudaTeens #MartialArts

Category: All, Sports