BUDOKWAI - Key Persons
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- Honorary Treasurer
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- Vice President
- Member of the Committee of Members:
My name is Enikö Sütö. I'm a yoga teacher sharing my practice and love for yoga.
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James has also been training at the Budokwai for seven years, he has been a martial artist his whole life, training in a variety of disciplines such as Tae Kwon Do (world silver medalist 1996 championships), kick boxing and Boxing. He discovered Jiu-Jitsu later in life and it became a real passion for him. He is a regular competitor. He has achieved gold medals in the ‘English open (2021), British open (2019), and the Abu Dhabi grand slam (2018).
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- Instructor at Budokwai since 1998
Jason has been training in Shotokan Karate for the past 25 years, during which time he trained in Japan under Sensei Yahari.
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- Vice President
- Member of the Committee of Members:
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- Head of Judo Games, Mini, Midi and Junior Judo
Martial Arts have always been a part of my life. My father is a 7th Dan in Judo, and my mother, two of my uncles and a cousin are also judoka of varying degrees. I however, have always been passionate about dance and in particular Ballet. At the age of 12, I began Karate at The Budokwai and found it perfectly complemented my dance practice.
Luke is a graduate of the University of York and member of the National Youth Theatre. Taking an interest in Martial Arts at an early age Luke has studied Karate, Boxing, Kickboxing, Kamon Wing Chun, Fencing and was even taught Judo when he was 6 years old by the Budokwai's own Lee Gonzalez!
Apart from being a former British Champion Mr. Ajala enjoys prominence within the British Judo Association as an excellent technician of judo. He has attended the Budokwai as a black belt since the age of sixteen and in more recent years exercised a key role in the success of the adult Budokwai Saturday class. During the mid-eighties he attended the International Budo University (IBU) in Japan for three months, continuing his study with professor Katsuhiko Kashiwazaki who had just completed a twelve months teaching visit to the Budokwai.
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- Honorary Secretary
- Member of the Committee of Members:
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- Chairman
- Chief
- Instructor
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Ray has been a judo practitioner from an early age, he was a member of the Judo GB squad from 1980-1997, achieving various medals such as an ‘Olympic silver medal' (1992). He was Roger Gracie's first BJJ Black belt. He is also the head instructor at the Ray Stevens academy in Wimbledon. He has a special ability to assess the specific individual needs of his pupils within the group class, allowing you to work on exactly what it is needed for you to succeed and helping you improve faster.
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Roberto Almeida started Judo at the age of four and has been a Judo black belt for over thirty years. He is currently a fourth Dan Black belt. Roberto started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the age of sixteen and he was a black belt by the age of twenty three. He is currently a fourth Degree Black belt. Roberto was also a member of the Brazilian Judo National Team and five times all Brazilian Judo champion. Roberto is a former Judo coach to the Junior Brazilian National team. He is also an international Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu referee.
With my father being an enthusiastic Judoka I was in the Dojo before I could walk. Also having an older brother who has won bronze medals at National level, I had a lot to live up to.I have also competed in well-known competitions but now feel that along with Larry Stevenson the Junior Judo head coach, and the rest of the Budokwai family, my position is in helping new Judokas and their guardians understand the background to Judo, the BJA, competitions, gradings and to help show them how much fun and rewarding being part of a team can be. Judo has built my confidence; I believe it has also made me a more grounded and patient person.
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- Chief Instructor / Instructor at Budokwai since 2000
Sue has been training in Shotokan Karate for the past 41 years. She went to Japan in 1981, 1983 and 1985 to further her Karate training. The last time she stayed 18 months. She trained at the JKA and was lucky enough to be able to train at the infamous Takushoku University where Sensei Enoeda and Sensei Ohta graduated. In 1985 she took part in the 1st Shoto World Cup, where she was placed 5th in kata.
Thomas Buckmaster holds a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Roger Gracie and is a 1st Dan black belt in Judo. He started both disciplines at the Budokwai, where he still teaches to this day. Thomas teaches the no-gi classes on Thursdays and places a large emphasis on fundamentals and efficient application of technique. He believes that Jiu-Jitsu is for everyone and if you give it time and patience, no matter how big or small you are, you can become a much stronger version of yourself. Remember a black belt is just someone who never gave up!
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- President
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- Chief Karate Instructor at Budokwai since 2003 When He Took over from the Late Sensei Enoeda / Instructor at Budokwai since 1997
Sensei Ohta is a graduate of Takushoku University. Between 1982 and 1993 he was the official assistant to the late Sensei K. Enoeda 9th Dan. During this time Sensei Ohta has built up an international reputation and is now considered as one of the most popular and technically skilled Shotokan Instructors in the world today. Sensei Ohta and the JKAE are dedicated to teaching authentic JKA Karate.