Ainsley Walters, Freelance Reporter
Jamaican gold medal winners (from left) Jordan Trought, Michael Thomas and Bruce McFarlane with their imposing trophies after winning gold medals at the International Sports Karate Association (ISKA) U.S. Open World Championships held at the Coronado Springs Resort in Disneyland, Orlando, Florida, on the weekend. - photo by Ainsley Walters
JAMAICA's martial artists returned home last week with a total of 28 medals and the Continental World Championship team title, won by the Combined Martial Arts Team - the Busta Fighters - to register their best ever showing at the International Sports Karate Association (ISKA) US Open World Championships, staged at the Coronado Springs Resort in Disneyland, Orlando Florida.
Jason McKay, captain of the Combined Martial Arts Team, described the championship as one of Jamaica's biggest performances at an international martial arts tournament.
"It was indeed a massive performance by Jamaica as we went with three defending champions, a two-man team and Sean Cummings and returned home with 10 individual gold," he pointed out.
Following individual continuous sparring gold medal performances from heavyweight Bruce McFarlane, junior black belt world champion Nicholas Dussard and power breaker Michael Thomas, Jamaica's kids added six more gold to that won by Jordan Trought on the first day.
Dyer mines gold
Ashieka Dyer brought home gold in the Red Belt 12-13 division in points sparring, while Oshane Murray won gold in the Green Belt 14-15 category for continuous sparring. Kemar Barr topped all comers to land gold in the Yellow Belt 16-17 division for continuous sparring and Channing Warren came out on top in the Green Belt 14-15 division.
Daron Harrison also collected gold in the Yellow Belt 14-15 and Kenroy Gordon also returned home with continuous sparring gold in the Blue Belt 12-13 category at the world's biggest martial arts Open.
Trought picked up his second medal of the tournament when he placed second in Under-11 points sparring whereas Keenan Barr and Demar King were both awarded third in 6-17 Yellow Belt sparring.
Jamaica's big medal haul was rounded off by Dominick Young, who was third to Murray in Green Belt 14-15 continuous sparring. The U.S. Open World Championship attracted thousands of competitors and spectators inside the crowded convention centre at the Coronado Springs Resort with 36 mats being used over two days.
