Ainsley Walters, Freelance Reporter

WELL into preparation for a March 29 showdown against the United States in Connecticut ahead of their World Continental Championship (WCC) defence this summer, Jamaica's Combined Martial Arts Team has been hit with visa date woes.

As part of their warm-up for the WCC in Orlando, Florida, the Combined Team is set to face the United States' International Tae Kwon Do Federation team later this month, but new recruits Shai Shakoura and Ricardo Lewis have both received interview dates for May at the United States Embassy.

Both are hoping to make their Combined Team debut against the US. However, this is dependent on them getting their interview dates fast-tracked.

Meanwhile, team management are still trying to get new dates. Shakoura represented Jamaica last year at the United States Open, travelling on a one-entry visa.

Despite this situation, coach Claude Chin yesterday said the team was in top shape.

'Well prepared'

"The guys will be fully ready in another week," he said. "Kenneth, Arthur and Nicholas are in great shape. We're also banking on Omar as we know we can get the best out of him.

"McFarlane has been training with his dad in Mandeville, but Dwayne has a slight injury from Trinidad but coming on well. We're well prepared and should win, but the major aim is the US Open where we will face Argentina and Germany, who are tentatively confirmed."

Captain McKay was also confident of beating the US later this month.

"As always we take every match seriously," he said. "The Americans are getting harder to beat and what we're hoping for is to be more prepared than they are. We don't have a clue who they're coming with but they know exactly who we have. I still predict though that we should win within six of eight fights."

The warm-up match, which is into its fourth consecutive year, has Jamaica as odds-on favourites after defeating the US in their last three meetings.

The Combined Team is set to field Arthur Barrows, Bruce McFarlane, Kenneth Edwards, Nicholas Dussard, Omar Rose, Dwayne Brown, Alrick Wanliss and captain Jason McKay.