LAST November, at the tender age of nine, Tai Innerarity won the Prep and Primary Super Fight Championship, defeating 12-year-old black belts on his way to the title.

This success, achieved only three days after receiving his brown belt, propelled him into the US Open ISKA Championship, held at the Coronado Springs Resort, Orlando, Florida, on July 11 and 12, 2014.

Innerarity participated in

four individual events in the boys’ 10-11 advanced category — continuous sparring, traditional forms (KATA), clash sparring and points sparring. All the participants in this category were senior brown belts with more than six months’ experience at that level.

At the end of the championship, Tai walked away with a second- place finish in the clash sparring, a third-place finish in the points sparring and a fourth-place finish in the KATA — accumulating two trophies and a medal in the process.

It was the first time that the clash sparring was introduced at the US Open. At the end of this particular event Tai shared the first-place spot and was required to participate in a fight-off. It was during the fight-off that he retired due to exhaustion and tightness in his chest. (The fight-off was his third consecutive fight without a break between fights, all this while his opponent sat by the sideline and watched).

Tai, from the Future Leaders Eagles Karate club, was the only Jamaican represented in the four events, and the only black participant in the traditional forms. He represented his country, his club and his coaches, Sensei Michael Young, Sensei Rae-Ann Robinson and Sampai Nicola Hazle, with confidence and pride.

He was accompanied by his parents Tex and Hortense Innerarity.