Wilson Ifill

“Dr. Wilson Ifill is a 4th Dan Black Belt and the founder of the Tilehurst Karate club in 2000. He started training in 1980 under Sensei Case in 1980. During the 80’s and 90’s he attained his 1st, 2nd and 3rd Dan under the now deceased Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda.

He took the opportunity to train with Sensei Enoeda and Sensei Kawazoe when possible and won many team and individual southern area and national medals for competition kumite (free fighting). More recently he moved with sensei Ohta to the JKAE and now holds JKAE instructing and refereeing certificates.

Wilson was extremely proud to attain his 4th Dan in 2006 with the JKAE. Wilson enjoys the challenging aspects of traditional karate-do, the friendship and the health and fitness benefits that Shotokan karate brings. A memorable moment for Wilson was having Sensei Kawazoe Masao and his senior instructors at his wedding and he was very proud to win a medal in the JKAE for kata. He also is a family man and three of his children attained their Dan grade.

Wilsons favourite techniques are kizami zuki (front hand punch) which served him well in kumite bouts over the years, and mawashi geri (round house kick). Outside of karate, in 2011, Willson cycled from Reading to Valras Plage on the south coast of France in 8 days. He also regularly swims, cycles and runs to augment his karate fitness.”