塩田剛三
In 1993 Thambu became the last person to be graded by Yoshinkan founder Gozo Shioda, before his death in mid-1994. At only 32 years of age, he became the youngest non-Japanese to be awarded a 5th Dan in Yoshinkan Aikido. This record has since been passed onto Thambu's former student, Jon Marshall, who was awarded 5th Dan in 2006 at Yoshinkan Hombu.