Jamaican fighters will compete against the world's best fighters at the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) U.S. Open, taking place July 4-6 at Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida, aiming to win a medal like they did pre-COVID-19.
Last year, Jamaica returned to Orlando with a smaller field of 33 martial artists but brought home 54 medals – 19 gold, 15 silver and 20 bronze – significantly fewer than the 37 medals they won in 2019, when they dominated the tournament.
Nicolas Dussard came out on top last year, winning the light heavyweight black belt title in back-to-back sparring and crash sparring, as well as two gold medals.
Three-time U.S. Open world champion Richard Stone of Jamaica defeated Sheldon Spencer of the United States during the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) World Championships Night of Champions special, broadcast on ESPN.
While the number of Jamaican players competing in the tournament is not yet at pre-COVID levels, multiple-time US Open winner Aquino Lindsay has high hopes for the group of junior and senior players aged between 10 and 33 who qualified through the Mackay Security Senior and Junior ISKA World US Open Invitational Qualifiers in February.
“Some of our juniors will be competing for the first time. The U.S. Open is a very difficult tournament but we expect them to do their best and bring home medals,” said Lindsay, one of Jamaica's most decorated ISKA fighters.
The winners of 23 divisions at the Mackay Security Senior and Junior ISKA World U.S. Open Invitational Qualifiers have earned full sponsorship of the tournament.
Captain Akeem Lawrence explained that the sponsored athletes have been undergoing rigorous training since a month after the qualifiers.
“We have been training our sponsored players at special U.S. Open camps from March until the end of this month to prepare them for the Open,” he said.
Meanwhile, head of delegation Jason Mackay said the benefit of hosting the junior selection matches served a purpose after the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating effect on the Mackay Security High School league.
“The fight will be an annual event aimed at selecting the best teams,” McKay said. “All martial arts schools are eligible to participate in the tournament circuit and take part in the selection process,” he added.
Jamaica Taekwondo Centre, Ultimate Taekwondo, Future Leaders Eagle Karate, Shy Thai Kickboxing, Jamaica Taekwondo Academy and Red Dragon Taekwondo are local martial arts schools that have athletes competing in the U.S. Open.
