All set for martial arts showdown at Indoor Centre

Ainsley Walters, Gleaner Writer

JAPAN, POLAND and New Zealand arrived in the island Friday evening, joining Canada, Argentina and hosts, three-time defending champions Jamaica, for this afternoon's Busta World Continental Team-Fighting Championship for the International Sports Karate Association (ISKA) Gold Cup.

The teams attended a weigh-in at the Courtleigh Hotel yesterday morning and all expressed confidence for the historic showdown set for the National Indoor Sports Centre, starting at 2 p.m.

Jamaica won the ISKA Gold Cup for three consecutive years in Orlando, Florida.

High-quality teams

However, Argentine Denis 'El Negro' Turnes, a decorated international veteran, has vowed to turn the tables on Jamaica, who had won the gold ahead of his team last year.

"We have different team members," Turnes pointed out. "We come with two very good coaches and hope the umpires will be more favourable to us this time," he added.

Coach Edgardo Villanueva acknowledged that Argentina would be facing off with high-quality teams.

"We think most of the teams in this championship are tough but we still believe we can win," he said.

Each team will field five fighters for the Gold Cup with microweight and lightweight being mandatory opening match-ups, whereas the other three weight categories - middle, heavy and hyper - can be thereafter tactically sent to the mat at the fancy of captains.

Canada's coach, Don Smith, said he liked the format of the ISKA Gold Cup.

"It is of a very high quality," he said. "I have seen a lot of these teams at world championships. It will be a high-calibre competition with the best teams in the world and I like the round-robin format," he added.

Pan-Am champion

Jamaica's team comprises 2008 World Cup and 2010 Pan-Am champion, microweight Alrick Wanliss; 2008 Pan Am champ lightweight Nicholas Dussard; middleweight Scott Wright; heavyweight Kenneth Edwards and newcomer Kevin McDowell as the hyperweight.

Argentina, Poland, New Zealand, Canada and Japan are representing their respective continents.

Argentina and Canada arrived in the island yesterday afternoon and went straight to the Knutsford Court Hotel in St Andrew for the press conference to launch the event, the most prestigious martial arts tournament ever held on local soil.

Patrons will also be treated to exciting individual sparring for micro, light, middle, heavy and hyperweight titles at the tournament.