Jamaica ends US Open with 28 medals

JAMAICA’s MARTIAL artists closed the 2025 International Sports Karate Association’s United States Open with 28 medals — nine gold, 13 silver and six bronze — at the July 17-19 tournament.

Richard Stone led with a double-gold as Jamaica combined martial arts teammates accounted for four of nine gold medals won at the world’s biggest martial arts open at the Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Nicholas Dusard and Adrian Moore dominated the middleweight division, sweeping the top two places in both clash and continuous sparring. Whereas he stopped Moore in the clash-sparring final to defend his 2024 crown, Dusard conceded to his teammate in the continuous-sparring finale, having pulled a hamstring in his dramatic knockout of the United States’ Joshua Wirtz.

Ultimate Taekwondo’s Aneeke Brown was Jamaica’s only other senior gold medal winner, landing the 35 & over female clash-sparring crown. Brown later added a silver in continuous-sparring and points-sparring bronze to her medal count on Saturday.

Nicolai Reid, also a combined martial arts team fighter, won silver in his lightweight clash-sparring loss to England’s Scott Brewer.

In other results, Jamaica Taekwondo Academy’s (JTA) Raquel Colesso won silver in 18 & over women’s clash-sparring and bronze in continuous sparring. JTA’s Tara Webb (15) won continuous-sparring gold and clash-sparring silver. Green-belt Christon Miller won silver in continuous sparring, 18-34 Intermediate.

Shi Tai Karate’s Sadeki Harris won clash-sparring gold and Nasir Mills (11-12) won gold in continuous-sparring. Purity Sharpe won silver in girls’ 15-17 clash-sparring. Nathan Ellis also picked up clash-sparring silver in the boys’ 16-17.

Rhea Williams added continuous-sparring bronze, girls’ 13-14, to Shi Tai’s tally, rounded off by Jahsiyah Cambell’s, 10-11, bronze medals in continuous and clash-sparring.

Red Dragon Taekwon-Do Centre’s Caziah Findlater won advanced clash-sparring gold, girls’ 16-17, and continuous-sparring silver. The Montego Bay school, headed by Chief Instructor Sabum Shiahh Shukura, picked up additional silver medals, continuous and clash-sparring, won by Alex Donaldson, 18 & over, red belt/brown belt division.

Future Leaders Eagle Karate’s Akhaylah Gilzene won silver and bronze medals in 14-15 continuous and clash-sparring, respectively.