Nonagenarian Earns Judo's 10th Degree Black Belt

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August 9, 2011

Sensei Keiko Fukuda of San Francisco has became the first woman to earn a 10th degree black belt in judo. She is 98 years old. Only three others have this martial arts' highest ranking: all men living in Japan.

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RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne with congratulations to Sensei Keiko Fukuda of San Francisco. Last week she became the first woman to earn a 10th degree black belt in judo, at the age of 98. Only three others have this martial arts highest ranking - all men living in Japan. Fukuda started learning judo more than 75 years ago in Japan and still teaches three times a week. She says earning this black belt was her lifelong dream.

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