Paul Starling

Paul Starling is an 8th Dan in Goju Ryu Karate. Hanshi Paul Starling is an icon of the Australian martial arts scene. Known for his physical abilities in the Goju Ryu Karate system, Hanshi Paul is ultimately respected for his good leadership during the growth period of Australian martial arts. Paul was the first Australian karateka to compete in a Karate World Championships and remain undefeated when in 1970 at the first Karate World Championships his team came up against undisputed favorites Japan at the inaugural event held in Tokyo Japan. Paul Starling was also the first graduate (1973) of Gogen Yamaguchi's Japan Karate do College, and the only Caucasian and Australian to graduate as a Shihan (Master). He commenced training as a teenager in 1963 at the first Dojo (karate school) of Goju Kai established in Australia at that time, with the founder of Goju Kai in Australia; Merv Oakley Sensei. During this period in Australian Karate do history there were few qualified Instructors in the country, and of those only a handful were proficient or graded legitimately to Instructor level. In 1983 Paul Starling was chosen from Australia's top karate-do athletes to portray the Karate Instructor in this classic Australian movie 'The Coolangatta Gold, by producer John Weiley; director Igor Auzins and writer Peter Schreck, whereby Starling was noted by the reviewers of respected American Variety (magazine) as having played a most commendable and convincing role. Many international, Australian national, and state karate champions have come from the dojo of Paul Starling. Many of his students have gone on to become internationally recognised instructors in their own right.