Beryl gives martial artists anxious wait

AS HURRICANE Beryl bore down on the island yesterday with Category Four strength, leaving Eastern Caribbean devastation in its wake, it also held in limbo Jamaica’s 36 athletes to the July 4-6 International Sports Karate Association (ISKA) United States Open at the Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Sharic Bowen, 22, who has been competing at the US Open from 2015, starting as a wide-eyed 13-year-old Jamaica College student, is among the fighters stranded after flights out of Kingston and Montego Bay were cancelled yesterday with the closure of both international airports.

Bowen is eyeing his first US Open gold medal against the world’s best martial artists as a freshly minted member of Jamaica’s combined martial arts team, fighters he grew up idolising as they dominated international tournaments in team-fighting on almost every continent.

“I have never won gold. The highest I won was silver in 2018, advance clash sparring. I won bronze medals before 2018. Last year, my first US Open as an adult, I got bronze in clash sparring,” said Bowen.

Bowen was first invited to the combined team for last year’s US Open after winning silver, beaten by former high-school coach and mentor, Ackeem Lawrence, at the McKay Security Seniors and Juniors ISKA World US Open Invitational qualifier in February 2023.

“I fought on the combined team at the US Open last year as an invitee. I am returning as a team member,” said the third-year (entering fourth) University of Technology mechanical engineering student.

“I believe this year will be much better than last year. I have improved a lot because I have been around top-level fighters, training with Master Chin (Claude) and coach McKay (Jason). They have helped me develop as a fighter, break the bad habits I had as a junior,” Bowen noted.

Team captain Lawrence is also still in Jamaica, hoping for clear skies in time for the fighters to still make a late weigh-in, possibly tomorrow morning should they make it off the island today.

“We are all eager and waiting,” said Lawrence, pointing out that he was particularly invested in Bowen’s transition from the junior ranks.

“I was his coach at JC. I think he has been diligent and focused over the years. It is good to see him coming into his own, actually in a rivalry with me. I can’t wait to see how far he takes it, as long as he remains on the same trajectory,” said Lawrence.

Team Jamaica:

Juniors – Christon Miller, Zole Onuora, Emeka Onuora, Jahmani Brown, Purity Sharpe, Travis Webb, Tajae Webb, Tavere Webb, Tara Webb, Kyanno White, Nasir Mills, Rhea Williams, Nathan John Pellington, Nathan Howell, Aayden Girvan, Ethan Howell, Jasiah Campbell, Athekia Howell, Akhaylah Gilzene, Leandra Williams, Gianna Raymond, Kemar Daye, Jannah Cousley, Shomari Shukura, Nathan Allen, Sadeki Harris, Khalil Shattock.

Seniors – Ackeem Lawrence, Akino Lindsay, Sharic Bowen, Nicholas Dusard, Richard Stone, Nicholai Reid, Shaine Blake, Daniel Daye, Janoy Sinclair, Aneeke Brown, Jasmine Barrows and Kashmin Danaa Hall.