Junior Lefevre
My karate story
I was born in Etterbeek, on October 17th 1978, on a raining Wednesday of Autumn.
When I was 8, I started Martial Arts at the Yanou Martial Arts Club.
I was practicing a different discipline every single day of the week: Judo, Aikido, Kendo, King-boxing, Nunchaku, Nin-justu... and karate of course.
I've eperienced different karate styles: Shito-ryu, Shotokan, SKI Shotokan and Shotokai.
"Try... and then you'll make your choice" used to say my father. He was wise. And his wills were my acts.
After 3 months, I finally chose the Karate Shotokan.
In early February 1987, I subscribed in a club in Brussels, the CAMJ (Martial Arts Centre of Jette).
I was very happy though the club was really based on kumite (full-contact). In those days, I used to prefer the katas.
The club became affiliated to the AFK (Francophone Association of Karate).
Four months later, in early may 1987, I competed for the first time.
I came second at the AFK kata championship in Andrimont. I was so happy!
At the end of may, during a course organised by the AFK, my father met Michel Aerden. At this time, Michel Aerden was the president of the AFK and of the BKF (the Belgian Karate Federation). He was the National Coach as well.
My father asked him if he could give me private lessons for katas.
Michel Aerden agreed, and at the end of 1987, 2 or 3 times a week, we used to go near Charleroi so that I could make progress in katas.
But Michel Aerden was not such a good technician. His karate was much more kumite oriented.
It was worth training with him though because he managed to point out all my qualities.
I was very well-coordinated and I had a good memory.
That's how I could do a kata quite well just after I had learned it.
I used to train a lot, I was following a lot of courses and I used to win all the competitions.
In February 1989, I became Belgian Champion in kata for the first time.
Thank you, Michel, because without his help, I would probably have stopped karate.
In August 1989, during a course with Sensei Kase and Sensei Shirai in Royan (Fr), my father met Dirk Heene. Daddy was impressed about Dirk's knowledge in karate and he asked him to give private lessons for katas.
Dirk Heene agreed and that's how we changed of club and federation.
In September 1989, I became affiliated to the VKA (Vlaamse Karate Association).
We used to go now to North, 2 or 3 times a week, near Hasselt - Diepenbeek.
I was very lucky. My father, who seemed to learn more and more about karate, had found the ideal trainer. Dirk did not want that I made progress only in kata. He wanted to teach me "Karate".
I learned a lot from him.
Dirk taught me all the katas of the Shotokan style.
I learned how to do the Heians and the Shintei katas in the "ura" way, in the "go" way (from end to start). I learned the Binkais (applications of the katas) and the katas-kumite. Everything was taught very deeply.
In a way, Dirk gave me the bases I was going to need for the future.
When I was 12, Sensei Kase gave me the grade of 1st dan. I was so proud. Indeed, I got the best score in both kata and kumite (and for kihon as well!).
I enjoyed a lot with Dirk. I used to follow a lot of courses, to train a lot, to do as many championships as possible...
I miss those days.
Thanks a lot, Dirk.
But everything ends one day.
My ambition was to become European and World Champion... Dirk just wanted to help me to progress in the traditional way.
In 1992, my father decided that I had to train more for competitions.
He wanted to give me all I requested to become the European Champion.
Daddy asked some advice to Patrick Suard, the National French coach for katas. And that's how I used to go to Paris once a week to train over there.
At that step, I used to train a lot alone with my father. Indeed, he knew a lot about karate now. He was particulary sever on rhythm and timing.
We used to try different rhythms. My father was recording my katas on his video so that we could choose the best one both together.
We used to compare my rhythm with Marchini's. We tried to balance my strength and my technique.
It took a lot of time before we managed to get to the right rhythm.The coordination between the movements and the aura were very important. We had also to take into account that I could not awauys reproduce what I did during the trainings once the day of the competition had come.
In 1992, I won the French kata Cup in Paris. I won that competition the three times I competed. That was important because it helped us to see our level compared to the French one.
In September 1994, after a competition in Turnhout, which I won after I had beaten Dave Versmissen (6-0), Daddy told me that I should now follow a specific kumite training if I wanted to become the European Champion one day.
That is why my father asked Marc Van Reybroeck to give me private lessons. From my father's point of view, Marc seemed to be the best option at that time as he had just stopped the competition and as his results were convincing.
In Miskolc, Hungary, I won the World Cup for Youth in the 15 year-old category. All my opponents did not score any points.
I was 16 when I did my first Belgian Cup.
That was the first time I was offered the opportunity to pit myself against seniors. in my own country.
I won.
In September 1995, from VKA, I became affiliated to the FFK, which the French part of the BKF.
I became a member of the UFK as well as of the JKA.
In Bratislavia (1995) and in Istanbul (1996), I became the European Champion in Cadets, in both kumite and kata.
In Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1996, I became the World Champion in the Cadets - 70 kg category.
Everyone was congratulating me... But my father said that it was not that exceptional to win an European or a World Championship in a Cadet category.
I had to win the Senior category. For Daddy that was the only thing to take into account.
I came back on Earth, back to the first step.
In March 1996, when I was 17, I became Belgian Champion in the seniors open category. I won Marco Costa in the final (who was the best Belgian karateka till that day). Daddy was so happy!
In 1996, I went to Worl Championships in Sun City. In the quarter final, I won the Turkish, Allagas, the World Champion 1990. That was such a nice fight (4-1)!
I finally lost against Gazou, from Slovaky (5-6).
However, I won the fight for the third place against Romain Anselmo. My father was really happy. So was Junior! I was only 18... and 3 days!
I did even better that Daddy hoped... which is quite a lot!
In May 1997, at the European Championships for Seniors in Tenerife, I lost in the semi-final in both - 70 kg and open categories.
In my own category, I won the Dutch A. Boelbaai, European Champion 1996.
In the open category, I won the Italian Benetello, European and World Champion.
That's how I came twice third. Not bad for a teenager!
But not enough for Daddy.
He could not bare anymore that I always lost the semi-finals.
I guess I had to make some more progress.
But Marc could not help to me to be the best.
I enjoyed my trainings with Marc... But Daddy was the boss. Good bye, Marc!
In all, I trained two whole years with Marc.
Thank you for everything you thaught, thank you your support too.
In Tenerife, Daddy managed to find the best trainer ever: Jose Egea. My father asked him to become my teacher and he agreed.
What a change!
Daddy wanted that I train one week a month with Jose, in Madrid. For the three other weeks, Daddy said that we would sort it out. We had a little dojo at home, but it diod not seem to be so easy.
I was a bit anious before I tyrained in Spain for the first time.
In June 1997, I went to Madrid for the first time.
That was the best choice my father could do. The right choice.
Egea helped me to progress, to believe in me. I think that he helped me to train in a more clever way.
He taught that the kumite competition was not a show-off, but a game that the most intelligent fighter would win.
Not many people see karate this way...
The fighter's spirit, the will of win and the idea of "I'm the one, no one else...". Egea gave me so much.
Jose used to give a programme that I tried to follow at home.
Every time I went to Madrid, Jose gave me enough strength to concentrate on karate and to deal with my problems.
In September 1997, back to the VKA.
In February 1998, I became the European Champion in the Juniors category in Athenes; and in 1998, I won my first European Champion title in the Seniors category in Belgrade.
That gave me a good satisfaction as I had reached my goal in the seniors category too. I did not feel as a teenager anymore.
After Belgrade, daddy was very proud of me. I was the European Champion... And that was the most important.
A few weeks later, I won the famous "Super Eight Competition" in Zagreb. I won Wayne otto 4-1 in the final.
In October 1998, at the Worl Championships in Rio de Janeiro, I came third in the - 70 kg category, although I had many problems with the BKF.
Three months later, I became Croatian.
In Oviedo, February 1999, I became European Champion in the Juniors category. That was my first win as a Croatian.
That was also my sith and last title in the Cadets - Juniors.
In May 1999, in Greece, I became twice European Champion in the Seniors. I felt on top. Unbelievable. No one had done that before!
When I was 20, I had already won 3 European titles in the Seniors.
Daddy did not let me train for the European Championships 2000 in Istanbul. He did not want me win. He did not want me to be the favourite for the World Championships in Munchen.
He said that the European Championships had to be a test for the World Championships.
I came third in Istanbul. I was very disappointed. I could really have won another title...
My father told me that I should not be disappointed because I had not trained with the will of win.
For the World Championships, I trained as I had to. Only one thing was important to me: to win.
God was with me and I won. Feelings and emotions were as high as the work that I had made. Very good.
It took me 12 years to become World Champion.
It sounds well: "Junior Lefevre, World Champion".
Now, I do not train as much as before with Jose, but I still do not forget all his advices. I met Jose Egea, my friend and my Sensei.
Thank you Sensei. For Everything. Thank you, amigo...
Thank you, Daddy. I do not know if I would the one that I am today without you. You gave all your time, all your love.
Thank you, Daddy, thank you Pap's!
From www.jutsko.com
