Age no barrier to black belt

Starting out in his Judo career many decades ago in Glasgow, Scotland, Bennett now calls Noosa his home.

Noosa Junction based CAZA Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s John Bennett, 71, has become the oldest member to be awarded black belt at the club.

Bennett is already a Judo Coral belt (sixth dan black belt), making this his second black belt in two martial arts considered particularly difficult to achieve such ranks.

Starting out in his Judo career many decades ago in Glasgow, Scotland, Bennett now calls Noosa his home.

“John is a legend that I am honoured to have in my gym,” CAZA’s professor Yoshi Hasegawa said, who has a third degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt.

“I knew his name as a Judo master before he joined my classes and now, he has also reached black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – amazing. And he achieved this after hip replacement surgery.”

John is now looking to continue passing on his experience and knowledge to younger competitors of both Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has still not ruled out competing again.

CAZA Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a Noosa Junction-based martial arts school that opened in February 2017 and is owned by Japanese-born head instructor (called a professor), Yoshinori Hasegawa.