Shihan Maria da Costa 5th dan, Started karate as a 13yr old in 1981. During her fighting career, she won many international titles in Point scoring and knockdown, wining the British Open 3 times and placed 3rd in the World Open Knockdown Championships held in Russia. Shihan Maria was one of the pioneers of full contact tournaments for Women in Great Britain and has been an inspiration to women karateka over the last three decades. During these successful years, she had three children who all now train and our successful karate exponents in their own right. Shihan Maria was the first female to obtain the rank of 5th Dan in the British Karate Kyokushinkai (BKK) this was awarded to her by hanshi Steve Arneil in 2007.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id="8" gal_title="Maria"]Highlights
Year |
Event |
| 1981 | Started Karate |
| 1985 | Earned Sho Dan (Black belt / 1st dan) |
| 1987 | Founded Docklands Dojo along with Shihan Nick |
| 1989 | Earned Ni Dan (Black belt / 2nd dan) |
| 1990 | 1st place European team Clicker championships |
| 1990 | 1st place Swiss open Clicker Championships |
| 1990 | 1st place British national Clicker Championships |
| 1991 | 3rd place British national Clicker Championships |
| 1992 | 2nd place British national Clicker Championships |
| 1993 | 1st place British national wuko Championships |
| 1993 | 1st place Belgian Open Knockdown |
| 1993 | 1st place First GB female knockdown championships |
| 1993 | 30 man kumite test (successful) |
| 1993 | Earned San Dan (Black belt / 3rd dan) |
| 1994 | 1st place Welsh Regional Knockdown championships |
| 1994 | 1st place British Open knockdown Championships |
| 1996 | 1st place Harlow Regional knockdown championships |
| 1996 | 2nd place Spanish open Knockdown Championships |
| 1996 | 3rd place British Open knockdown Championships |
| 1996 | British open most spirited Fighter. |
| 1997 | 3rd place World Open Knockdown Tournament (Russia) |
| 1997 | 2nd place British Open knockdown Championships |
| 1998 | 1st place Spanish open Knockdown Championships |
| 1998 | 1st place British Open knockdown Championships |
| 1999 | Founded Ilford Dojo along with Shihan Nick |
| 2000 | 1st place British national wuko Championships |
| 2000 | Earned Yon Dan (Black belt / 4th dan) |
| 2001 | 2nd place British Team Kata Championships |
| 2003 | 1st place British Team Clicker Champions |
| 2007 | Earned Go Dan (Black belt / 5th dan) |