Arturo Worrell
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Sensei, founder of the Panamanian Association of Karate Shotokan (APKS) the most outstanding academy of Karate in the Republic.
Arturo Worrell was born on the 4th August 1950 in Panama, central America. His interest in martial arts started at the age of 12 when he began judo. He practiced judo for 10 years and obtained the brown belt. In 1964 he signed up to the Dai-Ichi-Karate-Kai (First School of Karate) with Sensei Vincent A. Cruz and continued to train both judo and karate, obtaining Sho-Dan (first black belt) in both martial arts. He was hired as an instructor to the Panamanian National Guard and opened the first permanent Shotokan Karate dojo the "Estudio de Karate Worrell Internacional" (now just "Estudio de Karate Worrell") in the mid-70's (exact dates unknown). He continued to compete in both judo and karate until 1983, when he decided to dedicate himself to Shotokan Karate alone.
In 1984, he invited Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki (9th dan ISKF) to Panama for the first time to give an open seminar. In 1988, Arturo Worrell founded the Panamanian Association of Shotokan Karate (Asociacion Panameña de Karate Shotokan), which currently numbers 15 member dojos and is affiliated to the Japan Karate Association - World Federation, of which Sensei Arturo Worrell is regional representative. In 2003 he was promoted to 6th Dan by the Japan Karate Association, making him the highest ranking dan recognized by the Association in central America.
[edit] References
1. Cronologia Antillana Panameña [1]
2. Website of the current Estudio de Karate Worrell [2]
3. Website of the Panamanian Association of Shotokan Karate [3]
