 Competing in three Summer Olympics, Paulen earned his best finish of seventh in the 800 m event at Antwerp in 1920.In 1924, he became first of over forty world record breakers (up to his 1985 death) in athletics at Bislett stadion in Oslo, setting a record in 500 m, then an official distance.Besides competing at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Paulen was also a member of the Organizing Committee.