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In judo, the 10th Dan is the highest achievement in martial arts. The elusive black belt is known as 1st Dan but an exclusive few ever reach the level of 9th or 10th Dan - both are denoted by a red belt tied around the judo suit. The Dan is equivalent to a grading system in judo. In order or colour, judo beginners first earn a white belt, then a yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and black.
A Scottish man has entered the realms of judo royalty after achieving the highest level of expertise in this ancient discipline. What's more, George Kerr is 72 years old.
“I'm really over the moon and slightly embarrassed at the same time because a lot of my Japanese contemporaries, who are older than me and technically better than I ever was, have not been similarly recognised.
“But I'm delighted, and it's a great achievement for Scottish and British judo. I think it's great for my country." Mr Kerr spent four years in Japan in his formative years, which proved difficult as he could not speak the language. However, he says the moral code he learned has become his mantra for life.
As a competitor, Mr Kerr was one of Britain's best and he won a gold medal at the European Championships in 1957. He went on to coach when his competition days were over, counting Rolling Stones rocker, Mick Jagger, among his students.
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