Jamaica’s McKay Security Martial Arts team has made an impressive mark on the international kickboxing scene, capturing four gold medals on the opening day of the International Sports Kickboxing Association’s Amateur Members Association (AMA) World Championships in Vienna, Austria.
Competing across multiple weight divisions, Jamaica’s team has shown its skill and dedication, bringing home an impressive medal haul against top fighters from around the world.
Representing Jamaica across various weight classes, the team boasts some of the Caribbean’s top martial artists: Akino Lindsay competing in the super heavyweight division, Richard Stone in the heavyweight, Nicholai Reid in the middleweight, Akeem Lawrence in the lightweight, and Sharrick Bowen in the microweight. Their presence across divisions highlights the depth and versatility of Jamaica’s talent in the sport.
The tournament, with competitors from dozens of countries, started strong for Jamaica as they nearly swept the points fighting events on day one. On the second day, the Jamaican fighters faced stiffer competition, particularly from Ukraine and England, but still delivered strong performances.
Points fighting category
In the points fighting category, Nicholai Reid earned a bronze after a close bout with Ukraine’s Allakhverdiiev Bohdan, while Ackeem Lawrence also captured a bronze, narrowly missing the win against Ukraine’s Balabko Bohdan. Sharrick Bowen joined his teammates in the medals with a bronze of his own after a challenging match against Ukraine’s Onyshchenko Andrii.
In a standout moment, Akino Lindsay clinched gold when his Ukrainian opponent forfeited in the finals, boosting Jamaica’s medal count. Richard Stone fought valiantly to secure a silver after a tightly contested match with Ukraine’s Klymenko Artem.
The Jamaican team continued to dominate in continuous sparring, with Richard Stone overpowering England’s Henry Pollock in the finals with an impressive 15-0 scoreline. Nicholai Reid edged out Ukraine’s Vladyslav Krykhtin in a nail-biting 18-17 victory, while Ackeem Lawrence took down England’s Gauri Colin 11-10. Akino Lindsay also kept up his momentum, defeating England’s Calum Timmins 17-8 in points fighting.
This strong showing by Jamaica’s McKay Security Martial Arts team at the AMA World Championships reflects their unwavering commitment to excellence. Each match highlights the intense training and preparation that fuels these athletes’ success on the world stage, with Jamaica’s martial artists eager to add even more titles as the championship progresses.
