WESTERN SPORTS - Red Dragon name change timely; Shukura hopes World Cup will spur tae kwon do growth out west

WESTERN BUREAU:

"It shall henceforth be known as the Red Dragon Taekwondo Centre."  Those are the words of Shiahh Shukura, president of the martial arts school that was formerly known as Red Dragon Martial Arts Academy.

At this point, its students are preparing for the fifth Taekwondo World Cup, which will be held in Montego Bay, St James.

Shukura hinted at the name change late last year and made the alteration to give the school personality and a direct identity in the city of its name. This, according to his plan, will ultimately mean a fully fledged centre to develop the sport.

"This name change was deliberate because we wanted to have a rebranding to set us apart from the rest to create the kind of appeal to the people, and to schools in general, in which we hope to plant the seed of development," said Shukura.

HOSTING WORLD CUP

"We wanted to do this in time for the hosting of the 2014 Taekwondo World Cup right here in the city in August," he pointed out.

Montego Bay is set to host over 2,300 people - including 1,200 competitors, 75 officials, 80 umpires, 250 coaches, and 700 supporters from 40 countries - during the championship, which will be held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre from August 26-30.

Just over 100 local participants are expected to take part, with Red Dragon Taekwondo Centre hoping to have its five prospects competing. The athletes will enter individual and team patterns and sparring and power and technique breaking.

The entrants will range from age 12 years to over 46.

Red Dragon's five include two red belts, Deshaun McKenzie and Kirk Findlater; Kenneil Reid (red stripe); Oshaine Michaels (green belt); and black belt Shukura, who believes the timing of the name change could not have been better.

"I think with the change of name, the World Cup has come at the right time because now the public will be treated to a world-class tae kwon do competition in our own city, opening up the awareness of the sport to schoolchildren and adults alike," Shukura insisted.

"For us, this means a direct marketing of the sport in local schools in the west as we urge its development in both the primary and high schools."

Cornwall College is the only high school in Montego Bay with an active tae kwon do programme.

"With the assistance of Arthur Barrows, we continue to strive. He has been a big help with the programme in western Jamaica, and we hope to continue growing and developing this sport across the region," said Shukura.

"The aim is to grow the sport, with the World Cup the catalyst for us getting into the schools at all levels," he said.

- P.C.