Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

Jamaica's Michael Thomas, who finished fourth in power breaking at the International Tae Kwon Do World Championship in Quebec, Canada, in June, poses with gold medal winner, Luke Thompson of New Zealand. - Contributed

MICHAEL THOMAS, Jamaica's most decorated power breaker, puts his versatility on display today when he competes in sparring and patterns at the International Tae Kwon Do Federation's (ITF) Goodwill Games in Connecticut.

Thomas enjoyed a good summer of power breaking at ITF world tournaments, just missing a bronze medal at the World Championships in Quebec, Canada in June before reaping a gold and two bronze at the United States Open in Orlando, Florida the following month.

A Goodwill Games veteran, Thomas won gold in sparring and silver in patterns at the last tournament and once again goes for glory in the super heavyweight division.

Thomas' versatility was also evident at the 2004 Pan-Am Games in Paraguay, where he won silver medals in individual and team sparring, as well as patterns, plus a bronze in power breaking.

In addition, the 20-year veteran also boasts a gold and two bronze medals from the 2004 World Cup in Orlando, Florida.

"I do everything," said Thomas, pointing to his Pan-Am Games record.

"The World Championships only allow one person per weight division so I was confined to breaking in Quebec," he explained.

"I should have done sparring and forms at the US Open but the officials said I was late," added the fourth degree black belt.

US Open gold medallist

A resident of Mandeville, Thomas left the island yesterday among a contingent of fellow black belt martial artists including Jason McKay, recent North American and Caribbean Championships gold medallist, Kenneth Edwards, US Open gold medallist Nicholas Dussard and Tashauna Grannum, who is hunting her first international title.

However, McKay, who won a silver medal at the North American and Caribbean Championships, is on the watch list as he is nursing an injured toe and his participation will depend on a fitness test.