At just 11-years-old Cessnock’s Nikkita Nichols has become the first person under 16 to achieve a black belt in the Cessnock Chitokai.
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The junior first started karate in 2010, when his mother Renae thought it would be good for him to learn self-defence.
He then started to work his way through the grades and became infatuated with the sport.
“He’s just taken it to the next level,” Ms. Nichols said.
Nikkita trains four times a week, twice at the dojo in Cessnock and the other days in Warners Bay.
To achieve the black belt, Nikkita went through pre-grading as well as five hours of grading which included bunkai, weapons, carters, 20 one minute bouts and a speech.
Prior to the grading, he was excited and nervous about potentially receiving the high honour, and afterwards he was exhausted but very happy that he had achieved it.
“You couldn’t wipe the smile off his face,” Ms. Nichols said.
Ms. Nichols said she is extremely proud of her son and the amount of work he has put in to achieve the black belt.
“He’s put in the hard yards,” she said.
From the minute Nikkita started karate, his goal was to achieve a black belt.
“His heart’s in it, and I think if your heart’s in it you’re going to succeed,” Ms. Nichols said.
Ms. Nichols believes it is his determination that has allowed him to go so far, but that his small stature helps too.
“He’s compact,” she said.
“I guess it comes in handy,” Nikkita added.
Extra responsibilities come with a black belt, meaning Nikkita now has to go into training early and help the other juniors, and must now go along to all black belt gradings.
But he loves everything about martial arts, even going to watch other competitors when he had just come out of a mouth operation.
Ms. Nichols said the Cessnock Dojo has been very supportive, especially Sensei Matt Orr.
“They’re really family orientated,” Ms. Nichols said.
“They’re all about the kids.”
Sensei Matt said that Nikkita has trained very hard to achieve the black belt, and that he has never given in.
He said the 11-year-old is also a great role model to the other juniors and was very proud to see him earn the black belt.