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Members of Andalusia Isshinryu Karate attended the Albertville Karate Open on August 24, at the Sand Mountain Park in Albertville, Alabama. 

The tourney was hosted by Renchi Rachel Lynch of IKF — Albertville and Shihan Matt Roeder of Albertville Karate Academy. 

AIK black belts Phillip Martin and Johnathan Rudd won both Adult and Youth Kata/Weapons Grand Championships against outstanding competition. It was Martin’s first tournament back in competition after several years away from tournaments and he was in top form with an outstanding Chinto Kata for the Grand Championship against the winners of all the adult black belt divisions at the tourney. He also won first place in Men’s BB kata.

Johnathan Rudd won the Youth Black belt Grand Championship in his first tourney as a black belt, recently achieving this rank in July.  He also won first in 13-14yr Black belt weapons and third in kata.

Martin, who lives in Birmingham, was one of the original members of Andalusia Isshinryu when classes first began there in the spring of 1995. He was one of three Andalusia students who were the first black belts promoted at the Andalusia Isshinryu Karate Dojo (School). 

Johnathan Rudd is the most recent student achieving the black belt, with his promotion in July of this year.

These two students represent the first, and the most recent, black belts of the AIK lineage — a history that includes 55 others who have achieved this rank in the nearly 30 years of its existence.

“They represent a long line of tradition and outstanding students that have made the legacy of a school that has been recognized nationally as one of the top schools of its kind,” said instructor Mark Rudd. “We are very proud of these two for representing Isshinryu and Andalusia Isshinryu Karate and these wins against some very strong competition.”

Rudd also competed in the senior black belt division and won first place in weapons.

For information on classes in Isshinryu Karate, call or text 334-488-3104.