AFTER 53 years in the sport, Jersey Kenpo’s Roy Macdonald has received the highest possible black belt honour.
Presented by the Mayor of Rome, the Islander was promoted to 10th-degree Grandmaster. He is the only person in Europe with the accolade.
He was awarded his first black belt in 1979 and has navigated his way through the gruelling process to 10th degree over the past 43 years.
Macdonald was a first-generation student under the renowned founder of American Kenpo Karate, the late Ed Parker.
Prior to his passing in 1990, the most famous Grandmaster of the sport described the Jerseyman as one of the four most “highly-talented black belts in Europe”.
Now, after his latest exploits, Macdonald sits in a class of his own across the continent.
He said: “I feel incredibly honoured.
“To have the belt presented by the Mayor of Rome in front of around 500 people was amazing.
“The 10th-degree of black belt is the highest attainable in our discipline. So to reach that goal after over 50 years in the sport, I was quite shocked, to be honest.
“But I still feel like the same person as I’ve always been.
“Kenpo is very much a sport that teaches you to humble yourself and I’m still the same person I have always been, despite reaching this milestone.
Macdonald’s remarkable career has seen him cultivate and help 75 black belts since 1974, with Graham Lelliot, Dave Williams and Jim Rennie being the first to reach that level from his students in Jersey.
After so many years at the helm of Jersey Kenpo, he has described the “hunger to learn” as being central to keeping him motivated.
“My entire career has been one big adventure in Kenpo.
“Over 50 years in the sport has taught me a massive amount of discipline and also that you never know everything.
“There are always new skills to pick up and aspects to advance at.
“I still have that hunger to grow, even after all these years.
“My students all come with fresh ideas and seeing them go on to achieve so much in the sport is one of the main reasons I love what I do.
“Kenpo teaches valuable life lessons and instils a level of patience in kids at an early age.
“I am proud to help guide students through their journey from childhood all the way through to adulthood.”
Macdonald’s storied history within Island sport is well documented, but his impact on Jersey Kenpo shows little sign of slowing down.
He led 25 students, between the ages of six and 17, at the International/European Kenpo Karate Championships in Rome, returning to Jersey with a remarkable 47 medals.
Full results and reaction in Wednesday’s JEP.
