JAMAICA TAE KWON DO'S juniors shone in continuous sparring on Friday's big opening day of the International Sports Karate Association's US Martial Arts Open in Orlando, Florida, winning 13 of 22 medals secured by the contingent including two gold.

Calabar High's Oshane Murray and St. Andrew High's Jasmine Barrows led the juniors with a gold each in the coloured belt category.

The juniors were joined in winners' row by the black belt seniors who, following Thursday's big World Continental Team Fighting Championship win over world champions Argentina, picked up nine medals including a lightweight gold by Wolmer's Boys sixth-former Nicholas Dussard.

roughed up

Alrick Wanliss and first-timer Ricardo Ellis, both microweights, who fought in the lightweight division with Dussard, were both awarded third-place finishes.

In fact, Dussard did not have to land a punch to get his gold as his opponent, who was roughed up by Wanliss in the semi-finals, cried 'no mas' in the final.

The seniors also had impressive silver medal performances from Kenneth Edwards and Shiahh Shukura, who were both beaten by world champions in their continuous sparring bouts.

Edwards lost out to Argentina's Jonathan Batista, who he had beaten in team competition on Thursday, whereas Shukura extended Germany's Muris Horstmann in the final of the hyperweight division.

The two-man team of Jason McKay and Keith Edwards took home silver in their division. McKay medalled in the two-man team event for the third straight year, making it his pet event but was disqualified in super heavyweight continuous fighting, along with his opponent, for excessive and brutal contact.

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