Teacher Dies at Karate Grading

SENSEI: Rob Stewart collapsed and died during a karate grading at Waikuku.

A Rangiora school teacher and long-time martial arts instructor collapsed and died during a karate grading at the weekend.

Rangiora Karate Club Sensei Rob Stewart, 53, was in the Waikuku Community Hall on Sunday morning when he started having trouble breathing, senior black belt Graham Russell said.

The grading involved more than 30 people, mostly children, from five Canterbury clubs.

CPR was performed on Stewart "within seconds" by several people, and resuscitation attempts continued until emergency services arrived, he said. Police confirmed a man died at the scene and the matter had been referred to the coroner.

Stewart was a fourth-dan black belt in the Okinawan Goju-Ryu karate style, who trained for more than 25 years in Hamilton, Rotorua, Oxford and Rangiora. He had been a teacher at Rangiora Borough School since 1995, and had taught many of his karate students.

"He's dedicated his life over the last 30 years or so to karate," Russell said. Stewart's wife, Diana, and their four children were still coming to grips with the death, he said.

Rangiora Borough School principal Alan Sutton said Stewart was a highly regarded teacher and colleague.

Republished with the permission of
The Press | Tuesday, 09 December 2008