( L - R ) BROWN AND BARROWS
JAMAICA'S TAE KWON DO black belt fighters are set to leave the island today to compete in the inaugural 'Battle at the Boardwalk' at the Atlantic City Grand Internationals in New Jersey.
The televised martial arts tournament, set to run from February 17-19, is unique to the United States' east coast and will be staged at the state-of-the-art Atlantic City Convention Center.
Jamaica's contingent will include world junior bronze medallist Nicholas Dussard, combined martial arts team captain Jason McKay, heavyweight star Dwayne Brown and Arthur Barrows.
For the first time on the east coast a martial arts tournament will combine multiple disciplines.
Already committed to participate are ITF Tae kwon do, WTF Tae kwon do, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling, Jiu-Jitsu/self-defense, Eskrima, breaking, combative sport weaponry, Chinese martial arts and sport karate.
On Friday's opening evening, there will be a professional mixed martial arts event sanctioned by the International Fighting Championships (IFC) and New Jersey Athletic Commission.
The tournament is of major importance to the Jamaicans, who although actively competing for the national Combined Martial Arts team, did not participate in core tae kwon do events in the last season.
The super showdown is of particular importance to Dussard, who is being touted by many Jamaican martial arts leaders as the expected champion at the World Junior Games set for Honduras in June.
Dwayne Brown, who had an exceptional year in 2005 competing for the national team, also did well for tae kwon do at the World Games in Germany, missing medal contention by one point and is expected to be the toast of the Jamaica team.
Captain McKay, who secured his selection on the 2006 national team after guiding Jamaica to victory in decisive matches against Trinidad and Tobago, England and Cuba, is expected to compete in the team event and heavyweight black belt individual event.
Barrows, who has not competed since July last year due to injuries and is yet to clinch the deciding point to guarantee his selection in the 2006 national line-up, will be using the tournament as his comeback.
Jamaica's head of contingent and chief instructor, Peter Lue, said he's confident the fighters will do well, especially Dussard, who is expected to maintain his recent unbeaten record in junior black belt international competition.
