Management of IKGA
IKGA Executive
Paul Starling - Shihan Hanshi, Vice-President IKGA
Yamaguchi Goju-Kai was established in Sydney Australia in 1963 and IKGA Vice President Paul Starling was one of the original group of students, and the 2nd one to gain Black Belt Status.
He represented Australia as a part of the National Team at the 1st World Karate-Do Championships for WUKO (WKF) in Tokyo and Osaka Japan in 1970, and again in the 2nd World Karate-Do Championships in Paris France in 1972.
Kaiso (Founder) Gogen Yamaguchi Hanshi visited Australia on two occasions, in 1970 and 1972, inviting Starling Shihan to come to Japan for full time study of Karate-Do.
Early 1973 the Nihon Karate-Do Senmon Gako (Japan Karate-Do College) was established in Suginami-Ku Tokyo by Grandmaster Gogen Yamaguchi, with the very first graduate being Paul Starling who was awarded with Shihan Renshi qualifications.
At the Karate-Do College, as well as training in Goju Ryu with Grandmaster Gogen Yamaguchi and his son Saiko Shihan Goshi Yamaguchi, Starling Shihan studied Shito Ryu with Iwata Manzao Sensei, Wado Ryu with Hironori Otsuka Sensei, Rembukan with Tamae Sensei, and Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai with Motokatsu (Gansho) Inoue Sensei who awarded him with 5th Dan in Kobujutsu.
Among Starling Shihan's original Black Belt students was Ingo De Jong Hanshi (IKGA Vice President) who is now the Bloc Director for the IKGA in Europe.
Another well known Black Belt student was (Alexandra) Sandie Starling Shihan, who was the first Australian to win a medal in the WUKO (WKF) World Karate-Do Championships, when she took 3rd place Bronze Medal in Kata, in Taiwan in 1982
Starling Shihan was graded to 6th Dan Kyoshi in 1988, 7th Dan in 1995, and 8th Dan in September 2014. On June 4th, 2018, Paul Starling Shihan was awarded the title of Hanshi for IKGA by Saiko Shihan Goshi Yamaguchi. He is the former Director for the IKGA in Oceania and former Australian Branch Chief, holding both positions from 1990 - 2004, and is currently the IKGA Vice-President representing the Oceania Bloc from 1990 until the present day.
