SHIHAN DARREN LENKORN

 

"A lifetime voyage of 40 years in Kyokushinkai Karate with the IKO"

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Shihan Darren started training in Kyokushin in 1989 at the Eastern Canadian Honbu under former Branch Chief Shihan Andre Gilbert. Shihan Darren graded for his Shodan (1st degree black belt) in 1996 Montreal completing the 15 man Kumite (15 full contact bare knuckle fights in a row without any protective equipment, each against a separate opponent).

 

In 1998 Shihan Darren moved to Toronto and on August 9, 2002 Kancho Matsui (Head of the IKOK) and Shihan Bobby Lowe (International Committee Chairman), granted permission for the Toronto Kyokushin Dojo to be opened under Shihan Darren.

 

In October of 2002 Shihan Darren returned to Montreal and passed his Nidan (2nd degree black belt) test, with Shihan Gilbert. He completed the 20 Man Kumite for this test.

 

On October 21st, 2006, Shihan Darren passed his Sandan (3rd degree black belt) test in Montreal with Shihan Gilbert, completing the 30 man Kumite (30 continuous 1.5 minute rounds of fighting, each round against a fresh black belt without any rest or breaks) at the age of 38.

 

In November 2015 he travelled to Japan for the third time as a member of the Canadian national coaching team for the 11th World Championships. After the tournament, he attended the Mistumine International Training camp where he successfully graded for Yondan (4th Dan) completing his 40 Man Kumite for the test. This was a very special grading for Sensei, to pass this gruelling test in Japan, at Mistumine with Kancho Matsui himself overseeing the testing in the place where Kyokushin founder Mas Oyama trained and is memorialised was a great honour and accomplishment.

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Between 2023 training and testing again in Mitsumine with Kancho and Shihan Kenny, Shihan Gorai and Shihan Corrigal after the 13th World Championships and then with further final testing in 2025 at the Banff International Black belt Conference with Kancho, Shihan Gorai and Shihan Corrigal Darren was promoted to 5th dan (Godan) along with the title Shihan (Master). This was the same year he celebrated his 40th year of Kyokushinkai training.

 

In 2007 Shihan Darren opened his current full time Dojo in the Toronto Beaches and in 2017 he was made the Branch Chief for Toronto area (GTHA) making his dojo the reginal honbu for Central Canada IKO. 

 

Shihan Darren has competed in the North American and Eastern Canadian full contact weight category championships in both knockdown and kata division’s and was twice American International Heavy Weight Champion where he won every one of his fights in both championships wins by knockout.

 

He has performed various Tamashiwari (breaking) demonstrations in the GTA including at the 2004 Kobudo Cup, at several Taste of the Danforth events and at many local schools and fairs. Some of his breaking feats include breaking 25 blocks of concrete in stacks of 5, breaking 4 blocks of ice with Shuto (knife hand strike), and the ever popular breaking baseball bats with his shin.

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He has also attended many national and international training camps to continuously keep his Kyokushin knowledge and skills current with the IKOK standards. He has trained with Kancho Shokei Matsui, Shihan Bobby Low, Shihans’s Stuart and Don Corrigal, Shihan Gorai, Shihan Kowabata, Shihan Isobe, Shihan Francisco Filho (K1 and Kyokushinkai world champion), Shihan Kenny Uytenbogaardt, Sensei Artur Hovanissian (Kyokushin world 3rd place), Sensei Mifune Tagahara (All Japan and world weight category champion), Sensei Nic Pettas (4th place world champion and K1 Japan champion) and many many other masters and instructors over the past 40 years in Kyokushinkai.

 

More important to Shihan Darren than any of his personal achievements, are those of his students. The Toronto Kyokushinkai Dojo has only been able to grow due to the hard work and personal progress of its students, their dedication and regular participation. Members of the Toronto Kyokushinkai club have performed excellently at national and international full contact knockdown Kyokushin competitions. In assisting his students Shihan Darren has been fortunate to also participate with the National team coaching at the two past world tournament in Japan.

 

Our dojo members have achieved the following at major tournaments:

 

5th North American Kyokushinkai Weight Category Championships 2007:

• Women's middle weight 1st place

• Men’s Junior 3rd place

American International Kyokushinkai Championships 2007:

• Women's open category (no weight division) 1st place

• Women’s open category 3rd place

• Men's light weight 3rd place

16th Canadian Kyokushinkai Elite Championships 2008:

• Women’s middle weight ,1st place

• Men's super heavy weight, 1st place

All American 2009:

• Women’s middle weight 3rd place

North American Weight Category Championships 2009:

• Men’s super heavy weight 3rd place

Calgary Cup 2009:

• Men’s heavy weight 1st place

Vancouver Cup 2009:

• Women’s Lightweight 1st place

• Men’s heavy weight 1st Place

17th Canadian Elite Championships 2010:

• Men’s heavy weight 1st place

• Junior (6-8 years) 2nd place

All American Open 2010:

• Men’s 2nd round

• Junior (6-8 years) 3rd place

American International 2010:

• Men’s super heavy weight 1st place

• Women’s lightweight 1st place

• Junior Boys (6-8 years) 2nd place

Vancouver Cup 2010:

• Men’s heavy weight 2nd place

North American Weight Category 2011:

• Men’s super heavy weight 1st place (selected to North and Central American team to represent Canada at the World Open Karate Tournament in Japan November 2011)

• Men’s lightweight 2nd place

• Junior boys (15-17 years) 1st place

• Junior Girls (15-17 years) 3rd place

US Weight Category 2012

• Men’s super heavy weight 2nd place (selected to North American Team for the World Weight Category in Japan, April 2012)

US Weight Category 2018

• Mens Heavy Weight 3rd place