Last weekend, France celebrated its first two 10th dan karate masters Dominique Valera and Jean-Pierre Lavorato

Jean Pierre Lavorato is a 79-year-old Shotokan karate-do expert with more than 60 years of practice. He started in 1962 with sensei Henry Plée, the pioneer of karate in Europe, and later followed sensei Taïji Kase when he settled in France. In his youth, he became European team champion, France champion and the coach of a multitude of later France champions. Since then, he has been continuously teaching. Despite his advanced age, he keeps giving multiple traineeships a week all around France as well as the rest of the world with a seemingly inexhaustible kime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5KYCEadDDo

Dominique Valera is a 76-year-old Full Contact karate pioneer. He began Shotokan karate in 1960, he became multiple times karate champion of France individual, European champion individual and by team, and World champion by team. From 1975, he kick-started full-contact karate in Europe, following his friend Bill Wallace and Joe Lewis. He became 4 times European full-contact champion and 2 times World vice-champion. Since then, he became the leading expert of full-contact karate in France and spends his year circulating in France to represent full-contact with incredible energy and joy.
https://youtu.be/HhoJIn2-FC4?t=592

The two masters and friends hugging each other after receiving their 10th dan.