Members of Jamaica College's winning team of the high schools division at the Busta Seido Open last Saturday at the University of Technology. From left: Adrian Moore, Akeem Lawrence, Ranaldo McNeil and Kenroy Gordon. Instructor Oswald Campbell is at right.

SATURDAY's Busta Seido Open at the University of Technology is being hailed by the local martial arts community as the biggest and most successful in the tournament's history with a total of 450 competitors, ranging from pee wee to adults, covering white to black belts.

Jun Shian Tony Robinson was pleased with the turnout and overall camaraderie of the various schools.

"It was one of the biggest and better tournaments in years," he said. "Almost all the schools in the island took part, including Kung-Fu. There were hundreds of kids, a New York group and one from Chicago as well," he added.

little disagreements

Robinsoin said he was most pleased with the cooperation of the different arts.

"There was a strong sense of discipline from all the schools. This year everything was good, true sportsmanlike behaviour. There were little disagreements but nothing major," he pointed out.

It was an exciting day of competition which climaxed with the black belts in action. Tashauna Grannum, fighting for Jamaica Taekwondo, returned to winning ways, easily taking the 14-15 junior sparring event in her last year as a junior.

The black belt adults were just as exciting and marked by upsets, with Nicholas Dussard being beaten by Ningen's Scott Wright, who was in turn beaten by Alrick Wanliss in the black belt lightweight division.

The heavyweight division featured the return of Sean Barnes, who was in good form and fought through the rounds to claim first place.

However, Barnes was no match for Taekwondo's Kenneth Edwards, who snatched the Grand Championship title, defeating Barnes and Paul Williams of New York.

Sheckema Cunningham of Future Leaders continued her winning streak by easily taking the senior female black belt division.

The high school tournament was again filled with excitement as depleted Jamaica College, fighting without injured Dominick Young in the third match of the Busta High School Series, pulled out all the stops to top Calabar, Kingston College and Wolmer's.

It was Jamaica College's second win from three tournaments in the series, leaving the Hope Road school needing just one more win to seal the league.