The first shihan in Shinkyokushin karate of the Romanian Gendarmerie is Traian Dumbravean Katai, with the Anti-Terrorist Detachment of the King Ferdinand I Targu Mures Mobile Gendarmerie Group, who won this title at the European Karate Shinkyokushin Championship 2022.
"Shihan means 'master instructor', a title that our colleague, until a few days ago 'sensei' Traian, acquired following the exam that took place last week in Kielce, in Poland, where the competition the European Karate Shinkyokushin Championship also took place. Traian has been a gendarme since 1999, with thousands of active missions in the Anti-Terrorist Detachment of the King Ferdinand I Targu Mures Mobile Gendarmerie Group. For many Mures residents, the name of our colleague is not unknown, because, after completing his missions, he changes the gendarme uniform with the martial arts GI and teaches Shinkyokushin karate to the children of the Targu Mures Tiger-Budo Sports Club, dividing the little free time left between family, duty and passion, and getting involved in various aid campaigns of children with special needs in the city. He is not thinking about retirement yet, but how to stay healthy and how to continue helping, because this makes him happy," said GJM Targu Mures in a press release, told Agerpres.
According to GJM Targu Mures, the transition from "sensei" to "shihan" was not easy, the final exam lasting 12 hours.
"The shihan exam started at 10:00 and ended at 19:00. Dozens of sensei (Karate trainers with black belts 3 and 4 DAN BARS) from all over the world came to push their limits. They were examined by the great masters of this style of martial arts, including the president of the WKO (World Karate Organization) Kenji Midori - the grand master shihan Shinkyokushin, with 9 DAN BARS. It was not only a technical, fighting exam, but primarily a psychological exam, of strength, of resistance. We asked him what this title means to him and he answered that appreciation is his greatest reward. The moment when the president of the World Karate Organization, master shihan Kenji Midori shook his hand and congratulated him because he was a good fighter, it was worth ... everything!" the GJM Targu Mures press release further shows.