Jamaica's Tashauna Grannum (right) congratulates New Zealand's Mellisa Timperley after exiting first-round patterns action at the International Taekwondo Federation's World Championship at the Laval University in Quebec, Canada, yesterday. - Photo by Ainsley Walters

Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

JAMAICA'S FIGHTERS at the 15th International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) World Cham-pionship drew tough opponents in first-round sparring, which starts this morning at the massive Laval University Sports Center here in Quebec City, Canada.

Tashana Grannum, the 13-year-old Campion College second former, fighting in her first black belt international, drew the Canadian Petrine Arsenault, a far more experienced contender.

Should Grannum get past the Canadian, she will face-off with an even tougher opponent, Finland's H. Majnen to reach the quarter-finals.

An equally steep task faces another Jamaican teenager, Montegonian Alrick Wanliss, who has been drawn to face a giant of the microweight division, G. Myjikyan of the Ukraine, an established and seasoned contender in the adult microweight division.

However, if Wanliss overcomes the Ukraine fighter, he's expected to waltz past Japan's S. Toyonaja, a fighter he had defeated in Asia last August, while touring as a member of the Combined Martial Arts Team. This would put Wanliss into the quarter-finals and medal contention, a feat never before accomplished by a Jamaican male at the ITF World Championship.

David Hall, the 34-year-old veteran, who came out of retirement to win the middleweight division at April's Jamaica Taekwondo Open, snatching Jermaine Lue's position on the World Championship team, received what team officials believe is the easiest draw of the entire team.

Hall will face Dominican Republic fighter Jose Garcia, who is yet to win a bout against a Jamaican, losing on the last occasion to Nicholas Dussard in Santiago.

Health concern

After getting past Garcia, which is expected to be a walk in the park for the lanky Hall, the Jamaican is likely to face B. Feurtado of Brazil, against whom he is expected to do well, putting himself within striking distance of a medal entering the quarter-finals.

However, team sources claim Hall's worst enemy is his physical condition as his stamina is said to be suspect, considering the rigorous rounds at the Championship.

Veteran Arthur Barrows will start his fourth World Championship and seventh world sanctioned tourn-ament against F. Francois of France, an experienced fighter on the European circuit.

However, Francois is not expected to match the rejuvenated Barrows, who enters the tournament as a middleweight after competing as a heavyweight at the previous World Championship.

Barrows' division is the biggest in the entire tournament with 34 countries represented, and it is to be seen whether youth will go against the 33-year-old Jamaican.

Kenneth Edwards, the 21-year-old superstar of the Jamaican group, enters his first World Championship with the awesome challenge of having to face D. Hodussow of Germany. Hodussow is trained by the legendary coach, Master Ang Lan, formerly of Vietnam, one of the world's greatest martial arts teachers.

However, Edwards, dubbed by captain Jason McKay as being the best kicker in the business, is confident the Jamaican will get past the German.

Should Edwards advance, he will have to contend with Canadian L. Phillips, who will have home advantage on his side.

The superheavyweight division is being contested by Dwayne Brown, who had to first face the challenge of not being withdrawn by his captain after barely passing a fitness test Wednesday morning.

Brown will face a much easier task than most of his teammates, as he will fight Sweden's O. Malaga before taking on United States superheavyweight, Jake Karstadt. Brown has never lost to an American while representing Jamaica, and is a real medal prospect once his fitness holds out.