User:Dywayne Thomas/Dywayne Thomas

Dywayne Thomas is an English karateka and a lifelong member of the International Karate-dō Gōjū Kai Association. He was a British karate kata champion in the 1980s and 1990s, winning a wide variety of titles both as an individual and as part of the Traditional Karate Association (TKA) London Gōjū-ryū team. In the early 1980s Thomas had commenced training on a daily basis in Judo from adolescence with a very distinguished teacher only to later on realise that it wasn't the right martial art for him. A few years later, in January 1985, he began learning Gōjū-ryū karate under the instruction of Shihan Christopher John Rowen, 7th dan, who was a 3rd dan Sensei at the time and also a student of Kaiso (Founder) Gōgen (The Cat) Yamaguchi, 10th dan.

In 1987 Thomas was graded to Shodan Junior Black belt by Shihan Chris Rowen. He was due to have his 2nd dan grading a few years later in Japan with Kaiso Gōgen Yamaguchi, who was the founder of the International Karate-dō Gōjū Kai Association, but sadly Yamaguchi Kaiso had passed away on May 20, 1989, roughly around the time when the 2nd grading would've taken place.

Shihan Rowen would occasionally invite special guest instructors over to train his students in Okinawan and Japanese Goju-Ryu karate. Thomas would've also received specialist instruction from Gōjū-Kai masters, Shihan Ingo De Jong of Sweden (Vice-President of the International Karate-dō Gōjū Kai Association) and Saiko Shihan (Grand Master) Gōshi Yamaguchi (8th Dan, Hanshi) of Japan, who is the current President of the International Karate-dō Gōjū Kai Association.

Thomas took a break from competing and training in 1991 to focus more on his academic studies. After a three year gap, in 1994, he returned to karate training under the instruction of Shihan Vic Charles MBE where he was taught Wadō-ryū karate at the n-16 Fitness Centre, opened by Charles in 1992, in the heart of Stoke Newington, Hackney.

Since retiring from karate competitions Thomas has been working in the private security industry as a Close Protection and Media Security Consultant.