Station worker at St Albans will join team GB for martial art euros

Shakir Rahman, who works for Thameslink on the platforms at St Albans City station, will represent Great Britain later this month (23-25 October) at the European laido Championships in Berlin as part of Team GB.

Iaido is the Japanese discipline of sword use, requiring precise drawing, cutting and re-sheathing and no unnecessary movements. Tried and tested in ancient times now practised all over the world as budo, for self-refinement, character building and a calm mind.

Shakir trains with the Eishinkan Dojo (training centre), based in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire. He also represented Great Britain in jodo, another Japanese martial art in which short staffs are used and competitors strike each other directly, unlike iaido. At last month’s Jodo European Championships Team GB achieved bronze in the team category, whilst Shakir won the ‘Fighting Spirit’ award, which the judges give to an individual whose prowess and conduct has particularly impressed them within their level over the whole tournament.

Shakir said: “It’s a great honour representing Team GB in both disciplines. Iaido and jodo test you mentally as well as physically, requiring you to be not only very precise and powerful but also graceful and in harmony with the sword or the short staff you wield.

“Budo teaches a discipline and mind-set that guides me at work, helping hundreds of commuters every week and in all aspects of my life.

“I was proud of what we achieved at the European Championships for jodo and I’m excited to represent Great Britain again in iaido this month.”

To find out more about budo, which is the way of cultivating your mind, body and spirit, and the Eishinkan Dojo in Hertforshire visit http://www.eishinkan.co.uk/

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Notes to editors

To find out more about budo, which is the way of cultivating your mind, body and spirit, and the Eishinkan Dojo in Hertforshire visit http://www.eishinkan.co.uk/

Govia Thameslink Railway

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) began running Thameslink (Bedford to Brighton, Sutton and Wimbledon) and Great Northern (London to Peterborough, Cambridge and King’s Lynn) rail services on 14 September 2014. A small number of services and stations previously operated by Southeastern transferred to GTR in December 2014 and on 26 July 2015 the Southern and Gatwick Express routes were incorporated into the franchise. GTR is now the largest rail franchise in the UK in terms of passenger numbers, trains, revenue and staff: GTR carries about 273 million passenger journeys per year, employs around 6,500 people and generates annual passenger revenues of approximately £1.3bn. www.thameslinkrailway.com