Ainsley Walters, Star Writer

Nicholas Dussard ... favourite in the blackbelt lightweight division. - File

Jamaica's taekwondo stars will be heading to Italy next month for the third International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) World Cup, set for Riva Del Garda from October 15 to 20.

More than 1,000 competitors are expected for the tournament, which organisers anticipate will be the ITF's biggest-ever event.

Jamaica will field a team of seasoned veterans led by Jason McKay and sprinkled with rising talent.

The seniors include Arthur Barrows, Nicholas Dussard, Kenneth Edwards, Shiahh Shhukura, who replaces veteran Dwayne Brown, and Alrick Wanliss, Jamaica's bronze medal winner from the last World Cup, which was held in Spain.

The juniors are Dominic Young of Jamaica College and the Calabar pair of Oshane Murray and Bradley Evans.

The sole Jamaican female making the trip is Campion College's Tashauna Grannum.

Jamaica's martial artists have been enjoying tremendous success in recent years through the combined martial arts team, two-time defending US Open World Continental Team Fighting champions, as well as Jamaica Seido, four-time world champions.

However, ITF glory continues to evade the Jamaicans, who are aiming at a breakthrough in Italy.

Gold medal hopes

Dussard carries the bulk of Jamaica's gold medal hopes as, for the the first time at an ITF event, a Jamaican will hit the mat as favourite in the blackbelt lightweight division.

Dussard won gold at the Pan-Am Champs in Brazil in March and followed that performance with a second consecutive gold at the US Open in June, following his victory as a junior blackbelt in 2007.

Edwards, an ITF underachiever, who reigns as the North American and Caribbean heavyweight champion, landed a silver at the US Open and has high hopes of winning his first ITF medal in Italy.

Whereas veterans Barrows and McKay will be eyeing the five-man team event after missing registration for individual participation, Shhukura, who won a surprise silver at the US Open, replaces Dwayne Brown and is keen to prove his performance was no fluke.

Wanliss, who started his international career with a bang two years ago in Spain, winning World Cup bronze in the microweight division, is again being viewed as a likely prospect to medal, despite his ongoing problems in not being part of the Kingston-based team's training camps as he resides in Montego Bay.

Among the juniors, Young is regarded as Jamaica's most improved over the last two years and his gold medal-winning performance at the Pan Am Championships has heightened expectations for his final year as a junior.

Grannum, who travels to Italy with a Goodwill Games gold under her belt, is one of the team members haunted by under-performances at major ITF events.

Meanwhile, Murray, described by captain McKay as a key talent in the future of Jamaica's martial arts, will be looking to take home a gold medal after being disqualified while 12 points ahead of his opponent at the Pan Am Championships.

Evans, who took silver after reaching the final with Young at the Pan Am Champs, failed a fitness test on Sunday and his participation remains questionable pending another test.