Stone cops double gold at US Open

RICHARD STONE took his sizzling form to the International Sports Karate Association’s 2025 US Open, snatching double-gold, clash and continuous sparring, in the men’s heavyweight, +185lb, division, accounting for two of 12 gold medals won across all divisions on Friday’s first day of action at the Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Stone, who warmed up for the tournament by landing silver at the July 6 Taekwondo Grand Prix Devil’s Open in Argentina, last fought the rounds at the US Open in 2019, winning gold in continuous fighting.

Last year, Stone scored an unprecedented back-to-back victory in the one-off Night of Champions International Taekwondo Federation bout at the US Open, substituting Nicholas Dusard in a stunning upset of Irishman Leard Xheladini, who had beaten him in the first round at the ITF World Championships, September 2023, in Finland.

Stone, who stayed in tip-top shape for the US Open rounds by winning points-sparring gold and continuous-sparring silver at the September 2024 International Sports Kickboxing Associations Amateur Members Association World Championships in Vienna, Austria, first beat the Bahamas’ Antoniez Higgs Jr for clash-sparring gold, later competing the double by topping the United States’ Andrey Parsegov in continuous sparring.

Combined martial arts team members led the way on day one at the US Open, accounting for four gold medals, Nicholas Dusard, and Adrian Moore dominating the middleweight division, both dramatically winning silver and gold.

After battling through the rounds of clash-sparring, Dusard faced Moore in the final, beating his teammate in what appeared to be the start of a repeat double-gold.

In continuous-sparring, with Moore on the sidelines watching and awaiting another final against his teammate, Dusard’s audacious reverse turning kick not only flattened the United States’ Joshua Wirtz but left him injured, forcing him to concede the final to his fellow Jamaican.

Nicolai Reid, added a third silver to the combined team’s day-one haul in a clash-sparring loss to England’s Scott Brewer, later shockingly eliminated in continuous sparring while seemingly cruising against his opponent.

Ultimate Taekwondo’s Aneeke Brown was the only other senior gold-medal winner on day one, landing the 35 and over female clash-sparring crown.

Among the juniors, Jamaica Taekwondo Academy’s Tara Webb (15) won continuous-sparring gold. Shi Tai’s Sadeki Harris won clash-sparring gold and Nasir Mills (11-12) won gold in continuous-sparring. Red Dragon Taekwon-Do Centre’s Caziah Findlater won clash-sparring gold.

Future Leader’s Eagle Karate won three junior gold. Jahmani Brown won the beginner’s title (8-9) in traditional weapons and clash-sparring. Khalil Shattock (17-18 Advanced) won clash-sparring.