Lawrence expects good US Open showing from newcomer Bowen

JAMAICA’S COMBINED martial arts team, steeped in its history of going unbeaten in more than 50 team matches after being conceptualised in 2004, aims to continue its tradition of individual and team glory at the July 4-6 International Sports Karate Association (ISKA) United States Open at the Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Returning to the US Open last year after a COVID-forced hiatus, combined-team members led the way for Jamaica with four gold medals among the senior fighters. Daniel White of Jamaica Taekwon-Do Centre was the only non-combined senior fighter to strike gold, taking home the 18-34 advance clash sparring division crown.

Captain Ackeem Lawrence, Nicholas Dusard, Richard Stone, Akino Lindsay and Nicholai Reid, all former US Open champions, are joined at the 2024 Open by newcomer Sharic Bowen, who wet his beak in 2023 as an invitee.

Bowen had earned his spot after losing to Lawrence in the middleweight final at the Senior and Juniors ISKA World US Open Invitational, held in February 2023.

Lawrence believes combined team members will again be the flagbearers at the Open among 4,000 fighters from all over the world.

“I have the utmost confidence in the guys, based on the six months’ training they have undergone with Master Claude Chin and coach Jason McKay,” Lawrence noted, adding that Bowen had held his own last year as an invitee.

“The more seasoned fighters, I expect them to show up as they always do. With the exception of Lindsay, who will be fighting on the ESPN Night of Champions Special for the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) World Championship bout, the other members will each be taking shots at double gold, competing in their respective divisions in clash and continuous sparring.”

Last year, Dusard won light heavyweight black belt titles in continuous and clash sparring whereas Reid defeated Jamie Lindtner of Germany for the middleweight black belt world title in continuous sparring.

Putting icing on the combined team’s cake, Jamaica’s three-time United States Open champion, Stone, defeated the USA’s Sheldon Spencer in the match of the night on the ESPN Night of Champions Special for the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) World Championship bout.

“For Sharic, it will be his second time as a combined-team member. We have seen his potential in training and hope he improves on last year’s bronze,” Lawrence added.

At US Open 2023, Bowen, fighting among the world’s best, won third in individual competition, black belt, -170lb, middleweight clash-sparring.

Jamaica’s most formidable team-fighting unit, the combined martial arts team won their first ITF god medal in team fighting at the 2014 International Taekwondo Federation World Cup in Montego Bay.