Combined team ready for US challenge

Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

Coach Claude Chin has declared Jamaica's Combined Martial Arts team fit and raring to tackle the United States in a March 29 warm-up match, ahead of July's defence of the World Continental Team Fighting Championship at the US Open in Orlando, Florida.

"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," said Chin.

"The guys will be fully ready in another week," he said.

"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."

The United States' line-up is yet to be ascertained but 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.

Captain McKay was also confident of beating the USA.

"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," he added.

Meanwhile, newcomers Shai Shakoura and Ricardo Lewis are hoping to make their combined team debut against the United States. However, this is dependent on them getting their visa interview dates fast-tracked after both received interview dates for May at the US Embassy.

Attempts by team management to get new dates date are being pursued.

Shakoura represented Jamaica last year at the United States Open, travelling on a one-entry visa.

The USA warm-up match is into its fourth consecutive year and Jamaica are odds-on favourites after defeating the hosts in their last three meetings.