JAMAICAN martial arts star Nicholas Dusard won his first-ever International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) World Championship medal, a bronze, in Lido de Jesolo, Italy, last week.

Dusard became the third Jamaican to win an individual sparring medal at the ITF’s premier event. Female fighter Sheckema Cunningham and Alrick Wanliss won bronze medals in New Zealand 2011.

The 25-year-old was ecstatic, saying he had stepped up to the -70 kg weight division after primarily fighting at -63kg.

“What makes it even more special was that it was my first international after undergoing surgery following last year’s World Cup in Montego Bay,” he pointed out.

Dusard’s opponent in semi-final one was two-time World Champion Dylan Fitzgibbon of Ireland, one of ITF’s most decorated fighters.

Dusard said he was doing well against the Irish man and only lost in the dying seconds of the match in ring five.

“I led the entire way and lost in the final two seconds of the match. The only time he led was when he won,” he said.

Fitzgibbon, who won -63kg world championships in Argentina 2009 and New Zealand 2011, lost the final to countryman and defending World Champion Adam Shelley.

On his way to the semi-final, Dusard had beaten Diogo Simoes from Portugal, Joe Karstadt of the USA, Thiago Preto of Brazil, and Dmitry Cherkasov of Slovenia.

Dusard and Team Jamaica are in training for next month’s annual US Open in Orlando, Florida, where he will be representing the combined martial arts team in the Gold Cup in addition to individual sparring.