Founder of Kadgamala Karate • Co-founder of WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organizations)

Geert Lemmens is the founder of Kadgamala Karate and a respected figure in the global martial arts community.  Lemmens has been instrumental in shaping modern martial arts organizations worldwide, founding the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (WAKO) in 1977, the Kadgamala Organization in 1979, and the International Amateur Kickboxing Sports Association (IAKSA) in 1987. Today, he continues to share his expertise as the owner and operator of Lemmens Martial Arts Academies in Germany.

Hanshi Marwan Abu Khadra is the founder of Shogun Dojo (est. 1997 in Smithers, BC) and holds an 8th Dan in Kadgamala Marg Karate under Geert Lemmens, a 6th Dan from John Douvris, a 5th degree in Krav Maga, and a 4th degree in Kickboxing. Beginning his martial arts journey in Germany in 1977, he went on to compete internationally, becoming a 12-time German Champion, European Champion, and World Champion in Karate and Kickboxing (WAKO, WKA, IAKSA, DKV).

Before immigrating to Canada in 1996, he served as National German Coach, later becoming Canada’s National Coach for Continuous Sparring (IAKSA). In 2023, he was inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame Europe.

For over 25 years, Hanshi Marwan has trained hundreds of students in Karate, Kickboxing, and Krav Maga. His legacy continues through Shogun clubs in BC, including Shogun Martial Arts in Williams Lake, where his blend of tradition, discipline, and modern self-defense lives on.

Renshi Sheldon Lainchbury is a fifth-degree black belt in Karate, a fourth-degree black belt in Kickboxing, and a brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu, with 25 years of martial arts coaching experience. Sheldon trained in many other martial arts before focusing on Kadgamala Karate and Kickboxing. A ten-time Canadian National Champion, he has been named to more than 11 Canadian National Teams across the IAKSA, WKA, ISKA, WKC, CNMAA, and WKU federations. He has competed in several international tournaments, including six World Karate and Kickboxing Championships in Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Canada, and Greece.

In 2000, Sheldon won a World IAKSA bronze medal in continuous fighting after being the only competitor among 23 participating countries to fight in point, light continuous, and full-contact continuous divisions. Competing in semi-pro ring fights, he holds a record of two wins and no losses.

In 2024, he competed at the WKU World Championships in Rhodes, Greece, where he entered three fighting divisions while serving as one of two Canadian National Team Coaches. There, he won silver in Light Contact Continuous and bronze in Kick-Light Continuous Sparring. In 2025, he traveled to Germany after once again being named a National Team Coach for the WKU World Championships.

Renshi Lee-Ann Lainchbury is a fifth-degree black belt in Karate and a fourth-degree black belt in Kickboxing, with 25 years of martial arts coaching experience. She has won two Canadian National titles — one in each of the aforementioned disciplines. A two-time member of the Canadian National Karate Team, Lee-Ann represented Canada as one of two Canadian women to compete in continuous fighting at the IAKSA World Championships in Dublin, Ireland, in 2000. She has also coached at many national and international championships. In 2024, she coached and refereed at the WKU World Championships in Greece.