Cunningham takes home historic bronze

SHECKEMA Cunningham, captain of Jamaica's female combined martial arts team, won the country's first-ever medal at an International Taekwon do Federation (ITF) martial arts world championship on Wednesday.

Cunningham, a 25-year-old instructor at Future Leaders Karate, shared the microweight bronze medal for sparring with Canada's Cassandra Demers at the 2011 world championships in Wellington, New Zealand.

Cunningham, who placed joint third behind winner Stasa Lubej of Slovenia and Marzanna Pawlik of Poland, was competing in her second official ITF tournament and first world championship.

Her trek to the medal podium broke a 24-year spell during which Jamaica tried unsuccessfully to medal at the highest stage of ITF sparring. Cunningham had a close battle with Belgium's Andreea Musca to advance to the quarter-finals.

Cunningham's quarter-final bout was also a close one against Germany's Janina Schmidt which brought the house down with the score tied after full time. However, the Jamaican overcame Schmidt in extra time.

In the semi-finals, 35-year-old Polish veteran Marzanna Pawlik scored a quick point on Cunningham and kept her distance, running from her younger opponent for the entire match, a ploy which won her the silver over the Jamaican.

'Really hard battle'

"It was a really hard battle but I'm so proud to be the one to break the jinx,' Cunnngham said after her historic achievement.

Jamaica holds titles in International Sports Karate Association team fighting, as well as Pan American gold and silver medals in addition to ITF World Cup sparring, but has never medalled at the world championships.

Cunningham's coach, Jason McKay, described her feat as "a breakthrough" for Jamaican martial arts.

The championship is being attended by more than 40 countries with 800 competitors, and is regarded as one of the toughest martial arts tournaments in the world.