Anton van den Bergh
Inducted into the A.M.A.H.O.F. (Inc) and W.K.U.H.O.F. for 2025
Continual Excellence and Service to the Australasian Martial Arts Community
Anton grew up very poor as a ‘street child’ with no proper schooling. His family lived a nomadic gypsy-like life, with his parents moving from town to town every several weeks or, at most, every few months.
It was Sensei Norman Robinson who took him off the streets–which is a fantastic story in its own right–and this was the start of his training in JKA karate-do. Of that time, he cannot remember ever paying fees, nor for any of his karate uniforms. Reflecting on this only when he was older, he was deeply moved by the generosity Sensei had which changed the life of this one child. He also thinks continually of the many children who have had lives changed in Sensei’s dojo. Recently, Anton had the pleasure to meet with Sensei Robinson again in Japan. This was a very emotional reunion, and was the impetus for his joining JKS.
Anton’s 14-year-old triplets are all now 2nd Kyu brown belts. His hope for them, as for all the other children who had trained with him, his wish is for whatever style of martial art they train in, that they might experience the same positive changes from their training he enjoyed. Anton urges all to NEVER STOP TRAINING.
Anton sought out every opportunity to train and continue with karate-do. At the age of 70 and with 31 years of karate-do training, he finds training as invigorating and as positive as it has always been. He intends to continue until the good Lord decides otherwise. To him, JKA is budo. It had been a perfect fit for him starting from when he was a 14-year old, as it continues to be after all these years, and hopefully will remain so way into the future.