TEENAGE karate star Lee Kerwin has passed his 3rd Dan exam to become one of the youngest fully qualified instructors in the country.

Karate kid: Lee Kerwin with some of his trophies

Kerwin, from Foxwood, passed the grading just after turning 18 last month, the minimum age required to become an instructor.

It is the latest in a string of achievements for Kerwin who has been training since he was five years old.

Keith Gullen, 6th Dan, his coach at York Shotokan Karate Club, said: "I never had a doubt he would pass but the way he passed impressed even the examiner.

"At eight years old he was the youngest ever student to go on one of our national black and brown belt courses, joined the international squad and competed in Japan when he was 10, entered his first World Championship when he was 12 and came back with three medals, one gold.

"He has never been out of the international squad since he first joined it eight years ago. He has entered each World and European Championships held during that time and has never come away without medals, mostly gold. I couldn't begin to list his achievements but this grading is, for me, one of his best."

Kerwin has received personal endorsements from the International Japanese Karate Association's chief instructor for Europe Sensei Sadashige Kato and the worldwide head, Tetsuhiko Asai, both of whom have taken a keen interest in his progress.

Kerwin's father Lens was awarded Honorary Shodan (1st Dan) last December in recognition of the time a support he had put into the club and on national courses.

Anybody wishing to join the York Shotokan Club should contact them 01904 700504 or attend training at Scarcroft Primary School, Moss Street, York any Monday or Wednesday between 7pm and 9.15pm.

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