Coach Chin... expects big performances from team Ja.
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
A LOCAL contingent of tae-kwon-do martial artists, 10 juniors included, left the island Thursday and are competing in a historic World Cup tournament that started yesterday at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
The November 25-28 tournament marks the first time in ages that tae-kwon-do has staged a world championship open to all federations.
Despite being the most-practised martial arts discipline worldwide, tae-kwon-do is divided into several rival organisations, the two biggest being the International Tae-kwon-do Federation (ITF) and World Tae-kwon-do Federation (WTF).
The Orlando tournament open to juniors and coloured-belt fighters, will give rival federations a chance to show off the best of their emerging talents as well as seasoned veterans.
Nicholas Drussard, former internationally unbeaten red belt, now a black belt competitor, heads Jamaica's juniors and will be fighting in his first world tournament.
SENIORS
Jamaica's seniors include three members of the Combined Martial Arts team, captain Jason McKay, vice-captain Arthur Barrows and Dwayne Brown. Other seniors travelling with the team are Roger Wilson, Michael Thomas and Kevin Whiteley.
Coach Claude Chin has high hopes for Pan-Am defending champion Drussard in Orlando.
"With Drussard we're hoping to get a junior world champion," said Chin. "He's our main hope at a tournament such as this."
Chin also expects a big performance from Tashana Grannum. Coloured belts were in action yesterday with McKay's daughter Maya, a 10-year-old green belt, being among Jamaica's juniors.
Other junior team members are Asheika Dyer, Jordan Trout, Kimberly Wint, Akina Losters, Zario Wint, Jordan Lettman and Odane Butler.
Among the seniors, Barrows, Jamaica's most successful fighter, has never won an individual world medal. McKay was fourth at the 1995 World Camp tournament in Colorado.
"This is the most important tournament for tae-kwon-do to be held in many years," McKay noted. "It will certainly help unity but will most of all showcase all the champions from the various disciplines of tae-kwon-do."
Jolene Masters is the Jamaican team manager. Carlisle Grey and Ryan Rampiere, a 1995 World Camp Tournament silver medallist, are there as umpires.
