Woman, 98, now 10th-degree judo black belt

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- A 98-year-old San Francisco woman who is the last surviving student of the founder of judo has become the first woman to be awarded a 10th-degree black belt.

Keiko Fukuda, who studied under Jigoro Kano, who invented Japanese judo in 1882, was recognized recently by USA Judo, the non-profit representing judo practitioners, as one of the few people to ever earn a 10th-degree black belt in the martial art and the first woman to receive the honor, ABCnews.com reported Thursday.

"I appreciate it very much," said Fukuda, who still teaches classes to women and girls three times a week at the Soko Joshi Judo Club.

"Sensei Fukuda is a living legacy, she's a direct descendant of the origins of judo, as well as the longest, and only living student of Kano's worldwide," said Gary Goltz, president of the U.S. Judo Association.