Juniors bag 13 sparring medals

Ainsley Walters, Freelance Reporter

JAMAICA'S tae kwon do juniors followed up Friday's good opening day showing in continuous sparring by winning 13 points-sparring medals, including three gold, on Saturday's final day.

In all, the juniors returned home yesterday with a total of 26 medals in continuous and points sparring - five gold, eight silver and 13 bronze - from the International Sports Karate Association event in Orlando, Florida.

On Saturday, Campion College's Adrianna Dennis and the Calabar High duo of Demar King and Troy Allen pushed Jamaican's gold medal tally to five, following Oshane Murray and Jasmine Barrows' gold in continuous sparring on Thursday.

Successful year

It was another successful year for the Jamaican juniors at the world's biggest martial arts open, as they punched and kicked their way to glory despite having to endure questionable officiating, which denied them what would certainly have been additional gold medals.

The children's coach, a protective Herbert Stewart, on Thursday, said he was proud of the juniors and rightly predicted an even better Friday.

"Yesterday, I don't think we were dealt with fairly, but I am very proud. Getting more than 13 medals on the first day, that's a vast improvement over last year.

Regular training

"It's just regular training and a lot of push from other instructors, but we had to talk up to these officials," he added.

Points sparring: Demar King, gold, 18-29; Troy Allen, gold, 18-29; Adrianna Dennis, gold, 14-15; Dominic Young, silver, 16-17; Javal Dunn, silver, 16-17; Ackeem Lawrence, silver, 15-16; Noel Malcolm, bronze, 18-29; Chauvin Allen, bronze, 18-29; Shamar Morgan, bronze, 16-17; Oshane Williams, bronze, 14-15; Maya McKay, bronze, 12-13; Sabrina Richards, bronze, Under-11; Jordan Dobson, bronze, Under-11.