BEECHWORTH local Richard Lloyd recently took home state titles in intermediate traditional forms and traditional weapons at the ISKA 2024 Vic Titles in September.

Lloyd joined the Albury Wodonga Martial Arts team (AWMA) at the state titles after joining the dojo four years ago alongside his son.

He said that winning the titles has inspired his son to come back to the sport and that taking home the titles was surprising.

“My youngest son got me into it, he wanted me to try it, and it was a thing we could do together, and he came out of it for a bit but he’s coming out back into it now after these competitions,” he said.

“For me that was actually the real victory.”

Before the titles, Lloyd said he trained tirelessly alongside his sensei, who he said he credits all his success in karate.

“I did a lot of training, I was training twice a week, once in the Beechworth dojo and once in the Wodonga dojo and for two months before the titles, I was training every night in the garden,” he said.

“I don’t really like competing as a rule, but my sensei and I talked it over and decided it would be a good way to move myself outside my comfort zone and see what happens.

“My sensei is an intense competitor himself but at the same time he’s extremely supportive.”

Lloyd said his favourite aspect of karate is its meditative nature.

“Karate takes you away from everything else so you’re extremely present while you’re doing it,” he said.

“You don’t allow anything else to be part of you while that’s happening.”

Soon Lloyd will be competing at nationals in Canberra in November.