The 50-year-old was inducted into the International Sport Karate Association Martial Arts hall of fame last month as well as being named the senior instructor of the year.

The honours were given for superior leadership and teaching performance.

Guy, who teaches at Guy’s Karate School at Telarah, said he was caught totally unaware by the accolades.

“At first I didn’t even hear my name called, I had no idea what I’d won,” he 

said.

“But it was obviously very humbling, I really didn’t expect anything like this.”

The Telarah resident has been involved in martial arts for 29 years and started in the sport through reading an article in the Mercury sport section.

“I actually saw a story in the Mercury in 1985 about two guys going to a karate tournament,” he said.

“This was in the Bruce Lee days when it was getting a bit more popular.

“So I’ve been doing it for more than half my life now and it has given me so much.”

Guy started training in the traditional art of Shotokan Karate-Do with Sensei Celso Bauer before gaining his Shodan, or 1st dan black belt in 1990.

He then gained his Nidan, or 2nd dan black belt two years later and holds both 1st and 2nd dan black belts in Taekwondo.

Guy said martial arts had become more than a part of his life.

“It just gets you, it is part of who you are,” he said.

“We teach martial arts the traditional way because it gives you so much ­discipline, it’s the same way it was taught 100 years ago.

“I was taught by my instructor many years ago and I try to pass on his belief that it all needs to be passed on and kept going.”