After the successful European Jodo Championships, our members from Hikari Dojo also took part in the European Iaido Championships at the beginning of November, which were held this year in Prague. It was a truly remarkable event, not only were these the largest championships in history so far, but the opening seminar alone attracted nearly 400 participants from all over Europe and from countries belonging to the European Kendo Federation. The atmosphere was fantastic, full of enthusiasm, energy, and high-level skill.
The Slovak delegation was the largest in our history, with a total of 11 representatives, 7 of whom were from our Hikari Dojo. They competed in categories ranging from mudan to rokudan, giving us representation across almost all levels.
In the individual competition, on the first day all of our members except Kristína managed to advance from their pools without major difficulties. In the following elimination rounds, the most successful was Marek, who delivered an excellent performance, reaching the semifinals and earning a well-deserved bronze medal. It was a moment of great joy and motivation for the whole team.
The second competition day belonged to the team matches, with participation from as many as 27 countries. The Slovak four-member team, which included our members Maroš and Matúš, fought their way almost to the semifinals. A particularly memorable moment was Maroš’s victory over the Serbian representative, who holds the 4th dan.
After the team competition, examinations for technical grades up to and including 7th dan took place. We were delighted to celebrate more successes here as well. Hikari Dojo now has 2 new shodans, 2 new nidans, and 1 sandan.
We thank all our competitors for their excellent representation, dedication, and team spirit. Congratulations on successful examinations and results.
