Goran is a former Yugoslavian karate champion in WUKO, ITKF, and JKA federations. Between 1988 and 2001 he competed in four European and two World Championships as a member of Yugoslavian ITKF National Karate Team and Yugoslavian JKA National Karate Team.

Goran is native of Belgrade, Serbia (in the former Yugoslavia).

Goran started his karate training at the age of 14 (1979) under the supervision and guidance of one of the great European champions Zika Vukojcic. He earned his Black Belt degrees in the following order:

• 1984 - 1st Degree (Sho Dan) from Karate Federation of Yugoslavia
• 1988 - 2nd Degree (Ni Dan) from Karate Federation of Yugoslavia
• 1994 – 3rd Degree (San Dan) from ITKF - International Traditional Karate Federation (# R-YUG-3-0001)
• 1997 – 4th Degree (Yon Dan) from ITKF - International Traditional Karate Federation (# R-YUG-4-0004)
• 2002 – 5th Degree (Go Dan) from ITKF - International Traditional Karate Federation (# R-YUG-5-0011)
• 2012 – 6th Degree (Roku Dan) from SKIF Serbia - Shotokan Karate Federation of Serbia (# 004/SRB-6)
• 2018 – 7th Degree (Shichi Dan) from ETKF - European Traditional Karate Federation (# ETKF - 054/18)
• Ranking Examiner, License Number E-YUG-C-0001, issued by ITKF (International Traditional Karate Federation), August 7, 1995


• International Karate Coach, License Number 01, issued by ITKF (International Traditional Karate Federation), August 4, 1995


• Senior Coach of Karate, Diploma Number 554/262, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, April 7, 2000

Shotokan Karate

World Championships:

• 1994 - World Championship (ITKF), team competition, Treviso, Italy, 6th place
• 1994 - World Championship (ITKF), individual, Treviso, Italy, 8th – 16th place

European Championships:

• 1988 - European Club Championship (WUKO) Katowice, Poland, 8th – 16th place
• 1993 - European Championship (ITKF) Turin, Italy - Disqualification, 1st leg
• 1995 - European Championship (ITKF) Manchester, England, 7th place
• 1996 - European Championship (JKA) Brussels, Belgium, 8th place
• 1997 - European Championship (ITKF) Bucharest, Romania, 6th place

National Championships:

• 1986 - Yugoslavian Championship (WUKO), 1st place
• 1986 - Yugoslavian Team Cup (WUKO), 1st place
• 1993 - Yugoslavian Championship (ITKF), 3rd place
• 1994 - Yugoslavian Championship (ITKF), 2nd place
• 1995 - Yugoslavian Championship (ITKF), 1st place
• 1995 - Yugoslavian Cup (ITKF), 1st place
• 1995 - Yugoslavian Championship (JKA), 1st place
• 1996 - Yugoslavian Cup (JKA), 1st place
• 1996 - Yugoslavian Team Cup (WKF), 3rd place
• 1996 - Yugoslavian Team Cup (ITKF), 3rd place

Point Karate
Goran believes that authentic Shotokan karate, if practiced properly, can successfully be adapted to any other fighting style. To test his belief, Goran was traveling from Yugoslavia to the US in order to compete in the top level Point Karate championships. Among his many accomplishments, more significant than others, are the following two:

• 1995 - World Championship (NASKA), USA, 3rd place, Heavy Weight Division
• 2001 - World Team Championship (PKA), USA, 2nd place (as a member and the Captain of Atlanta Magnum Force Team).

Judo
Authentic karate that originated in Okinawa Kingdom, long before Okinawa was occupied by Japan, did not consist of only kicks and punches but it also used judo throws and jiu jitsu locks and holds. All those combat techniques were equally important and practiced. As a karate teacher dedicated to teaching his students authentic karate instead of watered-down versions of the art (as it is common today) Goran became a student of judo and in 2017, at age of 52, he started competing in judo competitions. In his first two tournaments Goran has won two medals in +220 lbs. weight class:

• 2017 - Mushindo Judo Tournament, Atlanta, GA, silver medal
• 2017 - Georgia Games Judo Tournament, Atlanta, GA, gold medal

In order to win the gold medal at the Georgia Games, Goran had to win two consecutive matches against a judo black belt with 20 years of judo training, who also outweighed Goran by more than 80 pounds. Although only a yellow belt in judo at that time, Goran was able to win both matches with Ippon (submission), which is almost unheard of. Although Goran started practicing judo systematically in 2017, he did practice judo techniques consistently in the past as a part of his Shotokan karate training, which obviously had brought him an advantage against a real judo master.

Goran with Hidetaka Nishiyama Sensei	Goran with Toru Arakawa Sensei	Goran with Hiroshi Shirai Sensei