Combined team ready for 'Thrilla in Manila'

Ainsley Walters, Gleaner Writer

JAMAICA's combined martial arts team has a task on its hand to retain the Tri-Asian Championship title in the Philippines' capital, Manila, on November 26.

New Zealand's International Taekwondo Federation world champion, Carl van Roon, leads a team selected from Pacific-Asia to face Jamaica, who are unbeaten in 43 international team matches.

The combined men's team has beaten some of the best units in the world, but faces probably its stiffest task to date.

Captain Jason McKay, who leads Jamaica's team, which includes Kenneth Edwards, Nicholas Dussard, and invitee Adrian King, said facing van Roon is a major hurdle.

"I am less concerned about the number of countries they have to draw from than the single inclusion of van Roon," he said.

"Based on our team strategy, we normally require Edwards to win. In this particular case, Edwards will have his work cut out against van Roon, which will put us at a disadvantage which we don't normally have to consider," McKay explained.

The world's most consistent and undefeated team in martial arts, Jamaica's selection has always been confined to fighters in training.

wanliss ruled out

The strict training requirements for selection have ruled out one of Jamaica's most decorated fighters, microweight Alrick Wanliss, a key man for the unit.

McKay, however, said while he rued the absence of Wanliss and the closed pool Jamaica had to pull from, as opposed to the many options from the Pacific-Asia region, he said his team has always been at a disadvantage, so it was nothing new.

"I think despite the fact they have a wider band of selection, which they always do, we will still prove ourselves as being the best.

"When we compete against Japan or China, their band of selection is more than a billion people in China alone. They always have a larger group to draw from," he pointed out, adding that he was confident of retaining the title.

"I am confident that the level of commitment and training is as such that we will win again," he added.

Invitee King made the team after losing a fight-off, a final, to Oshane Murray. By virtue of losing in a final, he won a spot on the team to the Philippines.