Celebrating 40 years of GKR Karate
When Kancho Robert Sullivan said to his son Matthew “We’re going to be looking at this in years to come….” in a home video in 1983, could he have imagined that tens of thousands of people would one day see this footage, celebrating 40 years of GKR Karate.
A man with a vision, and a belief in that vision, Kancho began his Karate journey in 1964, obtaining the rank of black belt in Goju and Shotokan styles before starting GKR Karate in Adelaide in 1984. The first official dojo opened at Beefacres Hall, Windsor Gardens in February 1984, with Kancho’s son Matthew being the club’s first official student. Going from strength to strength, building from that first student to more than 38,000 students in 2024, GKR Karate has stood the test of time.
Initially called ‘Bob’s Karate School, Kancho changed the name to Go-Kan-Ryu Karate Do in June 1984 which roughly translates to ‘hard and complete system in the way of the empty hand’. With the skills and knowledge gained from Goju and Shotokan, Kancho created the GKR syllabus combining features from both styles. The first badge was designed by Kancho in July of 1984, and some 35 years later in July 2019, it was updated to the current design we see today.
At first, Kancho’s aim was to build a small club, sufficient in size to feed his family and ‘pay the bills’. Eight years later, GKR expanded into NSW, and to other states across Australia shortly after. New Zealand opened its first dojo in 1994 with the United Kingdom following suit in 1996. Classes in Houston, Texas then started in 2004. In the space of 12 years, a club that started in Kancho’s garage had successfully branched out on a truly international level.
The fundamentals of GKR have not changed since its inception, with the emphasis on discipline, good character and inclusivity being as strong as ever. Whether you are at a local class, regional tournament or a World Cup, you will find the same camaraderie, respect, humility and a sense of belonging. GKR truly is karate for everyone.
Pivoting during lockdowns to on-line zoom classes and seminars enabled students to continue training during this difficult period, which eventually paved the way for the launch of the GKR Online Karate and Fitness Academy in 2024.
As a family club that is renowned for not just its high standard of karate but also for the community it continues to build on a global scale through its Online Academy, people from all over the world are able to experience and enjoy all that GKR has to offer.
From the humble beginnings of our first small tournament in a school demountable classroom in 1985 to the recently held 11th World Cup in 2024 that hosted more than 1400 competitors and 4000 + spectators over 3 days….. GKR Karate has come a long way. Thank you to all students and instructors for being a part of this incredible story!
