Ja boys sweep sparring, weapons division at ISKA World Champs

JAMAICA yesterday swept the 13-17 boys, +71 kg, points sparring category at the International Sports Karate Association Amateur Members Association World Championship under way at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

Ryan Robinson beat his St George's College teammate, Duncan Smith, to take gold, whereas Malike Murray claimed bronze for Jamaica, who ended the first day laden with medals at the event, which continues today with the adult divisions.

Jamaica have so far tallied 66 medals - 15 gold, 22 silver and 29 bronze - with a squad dwarfed by Britain and the United States.

SWEPT TOP SPOTS

The hosts also swept the top three spots in both musical and traditional forms, boys 7-12 categories. Rising Sun Karate students dominated both divisions through gold medal winners Alessandro Doshi and Lee-Michael Henry, respectively.

Second-day action will feature Jamaican stars such as former ISKA champions Olympian Kenneth Edwards, Nicholas Dussard and Richard Stone, as well as female fighter Sheckema Cunningham and Akino Lindsay, defending champions from last year's Amateur World Championships held in Greece.