Beach wrestling could become a flagship event for local federation

Jamaica Wrestling Federation vice president John Isaacs said today’s Jamaica Open Beach Wrestling competition will serve as a flagship event for the association as they hope to grow the sport in the island.

Set to be held at Harmony Beach Park in Montego Bay starting at 11 a.m., Isaacs said the competition will be the first of its kind to be hosted by the association.

The competition is being sponsored by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and Isaacs believes with the island’s natural resources, Jamaica is the perfect location to boost the growing popularity of beach wrestling.

“We’re doing an international invitation which is being sponsored by the TEF,” Isaacs explained.

“It will be a small event as it is the first time that we’re doing one. But more importantly, beach wrestling has become a popular sport and we in the Caribbean are ideally geared towards it. A lot of us in the Caribbean, Barbados being the leader, are looking to try and develop that sector.”

“A lot of people have expressed a desire to come to Jamaica if we were to get into it so thankfully through the TEF, we are able to engage the idea,” he continued.

The competition is expected to feature 30 contestants as Isaacs promised a day filled with action for fans and the general public alike.

The competition will be split in three age-groups categories with under-15, under-20 and senior categories that are open to all interested athletes.

Of the registered entrants, two female wrestlers have also signalled their intent to compete and Isaacs said this could be an intense matchup.

“We are expecting about 30 athletes, Jamaicans and foreigners; some from Canada and some from Puerto Rico coming to the events. We will also have international referees,” he explained.

“We also have two females, one who flew in from Canada and the other who is a club member, so we have a female event. It is fun for the whole crowd. You will be amazed, especially for the females, the tenacity that these women bring to the table.”

Isaacs is hopeful that a successful hosting of the inaugural event could be the foundation for more beach wrestling competitions in Jamaica as well as stamp the competition as an annual event for the association.

“The guide is to put on an event that everybody is happy with. The standard right now is low because this is the first time we’re doing the event, and we want to just get it right.

“Once we can do that, then we’ll want to look at the wider Caribbean as well where we can invite others to come. If we can make this a Caribbean event, then we’ll have our neighbours to come in and the next step would be to bring it to the international stage,” Isaacs said.