Jamaica Gleaner
Published: Monday | July 6, 2009
Home : Sport
Massive medal haul for Jamaica's juniors at US Open
Ainsley Walters, Gleaner Writer


Member of the Jamaica Tae kwon do junior team pose with trophies won on Saturday's day two of the US Open Martial Arts Tournament at the Coronado Resort in Orlando, Florida.

CALABAR'S Oshane Murray and Campion's Shanel Chisholm were the top-performing juniors for Jamaica at the US Open World Martial Arts Championships in Orlando, Florida, which ended Saturday at the Coronado Resort.

Jamaica Tae kwon do's Murray was the only Jamaican junior to leave the tournament with two gold for sparring, continuous sparring on Friday and points sparring on Saturday, both in 16-17 advanced boys tall division.

Chisholm of Rising Suns was also a multiple medal winner, taking home a gold and three silver.

On Friday, she won gold in 14-15 advanced girls, continuous sparring, as well as 14-15 boys and girls advanced traditional weapons silver.

Girls advancing

Chisholm, handled by sensei Heather Campbell, returned Saturday to win silver in advanced girls points sparring and another for advanced traditional forms in the same group.

Juniors from Keith Edwards' Ningen Karate also lit up the Coronado Resort with strong performances in traditional weapons and creative forms in addition to medals in continuous and points sparring.

On Saturday, Felicia Salmon of Ningen Karate won points-sparring gold in the 14-15 beginners' division as well as third in traditional forms, adding to her gold in 14-15 boys and girls advanced traditional weapons on Friday.

Ningen took home a third gold as Nicola Ellis landed the eight and under beginners' division in forms and also won bronze in points sparring.

Tae kwon do Jamaica's Demar King capped a successful final day for the island's juniors on Saturday.

King, who fought in the 18-29 advanced men, points sparring, 170-and-over division, faced competitors who were much bigger and stronger but battled gallantly to the instructions of trainer Herbert Stewart, who marshalled Jamaica Tae kwon do's juniors to a massive medal haul in continuous and points sparring at the weekend.

Javol Dunn, who fought in the same age group as King, 18-29 men, but intermediate 169 and under, won bronze in points sparring Saturday.

Rising Sun's Kirkland Anderson took home gold for forms in the nine-10 beginners division to end the tournament on a high note.

Saturday's other junior medallists were Matthew Miles (bronze, six-seven intermediate forms); Brian Chambers (bronze, eigth-nine advanced points sparring); Jason Francis (bronze, eigth-nine intermediate forms); Jade Crawford (silver, eigth-nine advanced points sparring); Michael Roache (silver, 10-11 boys advanced, forms); Larissa McLaughlin (silver, 10-11 intermediate forms); Alpha's Subrina Richards (bronze, 12-13 intermediate girls, points fighting); Ranaldo McNeil (bronze, 14-15, intermediate, small boys points sparring); Campion's Justin Barrows (bronze, 14-15 advanced, small boys, points sparring); Calabar's Fernando Thompson (bronze, 16-17 intermediate, tall boys, points sparring); Jamaica College's Dominic Young (silver, 16-17, advanced tall boys, points sparring); Tiffany Webb (bronze, 16-17 intermediate girls).

Other medals

Continuous fighting junior medallists on Friday were:

St Andrew High's Maya McKay and Campion College's Tashauna Grannum (bronze, 14-15 girls black belt); Brian Chambers (silver, nine and under all-ranks boys); Joneal Crawford (12-13 advanced girls); Jon Lindo (gold, 12-13 advanced boys); Delano Francis (bronze, 12-13 advanced boys); Jamaica College's Ackeem Lawrence (silver, 16-17 advanced boys); Jamaica College's Dominic Young (bronze, 16-17 advanced boys); Wolmer's Phillip Malcolm (silver, 16-17 intermediate boys); St Andrew High's Jasmine Barrows (silver, 11 and under all ranks girls); Adrian Moore (bronze, 18-29 advanced men, over 165lb); and Wolmer's Javol Dunn (silver, 18-29 intermediate men, under 165lb).

Juniors medalling in weapons on Friday were:

Matthew Miles (bronze, traditional weapons seven-and-under intermediate boys and girls); Jason Francis (bronze, eight-nine intermediate traditional weapons boys and girls); Michael Roache (silver, 10-11 boys and girls advanced traditional weapons); Larissa McLaughlin (silver, 10-11 boys and girls intermediate traditional weapons).

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