Lindsay’s double gold lights up kickboxing World Championships

JAMAICA’s return to the international martial arts circuit, after a two-year break forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, hit a high note at the International Sports Kickboxing Association’s (ISKA) Amateur Members Association World Championships with Akino Lindsay winning double-gold, points and sparring divisions, at the event, which ended yesterday in Kemer, Turkey, at the Daima Sports Complex.

Since returning to international competitions, Jamaica’s Combined Martial Arts Team has won four world medals, three gold, and one bronze. Lindsay’s double-gold in Turkey added to Nicholas Dussard, topping the ESPN Night of Champions tae kwon do battle at July’s United States Open and his bronze won at the International Taekwon-Do Federation’s World Cup in Koper, Slovenia.

Lindsay, a three-time continuous-sparring champion, having won gold in Portugal 2015, Greece 2017, and the points-continuous sparring double in Jamaica in 2018, was the toast of the arena in securing his second double-gold at the event.

“I predicted he would have won the double,” said one of his coaches, Jason McKay, adding that Claude Chin’s background work with Lindsay left him with little to do in final preparation.

Lindsay, whose first gold came in points-sparring, a closely fought final against England’s Joe Pitman, said training for the tournament was hard.

“The training I was put through by coaches Claude Chin and Jason McKay was gruelling. I am glad it’s behind me, with the results to show,” Lindsay said.

Pitman tried to match Lindsay, but the Jamaican’s timing, speed, and footwork overwhelmed the Englishman in an 8-6 victory.

Facing a second Briton in the continuous-sparring final, Lindsay was unstoppable against August Masionis, who could not capitalise on his 20-kilo weight advantage, beaten by the Jamaican’s speed and power, which won him technical knockout in the first round.