Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

Combined Team captain Jason McKay (left) lands a kick to his Japanese opponent during last year's Tri-Asian Championship in Japan. - Contributed

DEFEATING China's national tae kwon do team in Hong Kong recently was a major accomplishment for Jamaica's martial arts and sports in general.

However, the Busta Fighters' latest victory has again opened debate as to whether the Jamaicans have the best martial arts team in the world.

Team captain Jason McKay, who has guided the Busta Fighters to major accomplishments including a title win over England, New Zealand and the United States for the first World Continental championship, says the Busta Fighters are among the best in the world in their particular fighting style.

"No, it does not mean Jamaica has the best martial arts team in the world, because that is too wide a definition," he said. "Martial arts include many different disciplines and areas of sports.

"What it means is Jamaica has managed, after 30 to 40 years of sustained efforts by various people, primarily karate and tae kwon do, to cultivate a team of athletes who are numbered among the best in the world in continuous sports fighting in the use of hands and feet."

Different types of fighting

He added: "We also have a number of fighters who have mastered the art of points sparring, hands and feet, as demonstrated by Bruce McFarlane's domination in Seido karate world championships," McKay added.

Kenneth Edwards, a Busta Fighter and continuousfighting star, recently represented Jamaica at the Pan-Am Games in Brazil, competing in Olympic-style tae kwon do, but did not get past the first round.

This, McKay said was because Edwards is more versed in International Tae Kwon Do Federation (ITF) form and not World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF) fighting style, which is what the International Olympic Committee (IOC) sanctions.

"There are many different types of fighting in martial arts in which Jamaica has not impacted or rarely compete in. An example of this is Olympic-styled continuous foot fighting," he pointed out.

McKay attributes this to the founding fathers of Jamaican martial arts being karate and ITF tae kwon do practitioners, resulting in their predecessors being outstanding in those areas.

"Jamaica has not impacted the world stage in Olympic-style tae kwon do, full contact or other styles such as the Kina Mutai," McKay explained.

However, the Busta Fighters captain admitted Jamaica will have to commit to Olympic-style fighting.

"We have to include development in the style used at the Olympics," he said.

"At the end of the day, no matter how many world championships you hold, the Jamaican public is looking towards Olympic medals.

"Persons such as Peter Lue, Tony Robinson, George Plummer and Errol Lyn all dedicated their lives to developing martial arts and the end result was a team of fighters proficient in the art they promoted."

Martial arts, McKay said, need greater participation to attract athletic and talented youngsters.

Extending the programme to PE teachers

"Jamaican martial arts need to be spread to a wider cross section of people. Persons such as Plummer and Keith Edwards have done a good job in spreading the art through their various schools and Jamaica Beverages have pitched in by sponsoring the tae kwon do high school programme.

"An idea by Dr. Paul Wright is we need to get into G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and train the teachers there in martial arts, whether karate or tae kwon do, andhave schools adopt the sport as part of their curriculum.

"This, I believe, is what is needed over the next 20 years if we're to develop the sport to have meaningful national impact," McKay pointed out.

With a successful summer behind them, the Combined Team is aiming to defend its International Sports Karate Association (ISKA) U.S. Open Continental World Championship title.

"In addition, our efforts for next year will include bringing that championship to Jamaica, which we're in negotiations to do," said McKay.

For the remainder of this year, the Busta Fighters will be on individual pursuits.

Bruce McFarlane and Omar Rose will travel to Japan for the Seido Karate World Championships in November, whereas Edwards and a number of other persons have their eyes on Olympic qualification.

McKay and Nicholas Dussard will compete in the North American Championship, set for New York in September in New York before the team regroups for December's Caribbean Championship in Cuba.

"We achieved a major milestone last year in being awarded by the Sports Foundation of Jamaica and we hope we have done enough this year to be again worthy of that honour," McKay pointed out.