Jashae Allen-Lamontgne and Milahn Powell exceeded expectations after being crowned grand champions on their debuts at the World Cup Open Martial Arts Championship in Reston, Virgina, at the weekend.

Lamontgne, a kung fu fighter, captured age group honours competing in forms, weapons and sparring disciplines and then capped her first championship by claiming the forms’ grand champion title.

Fellow kung fu fighter Powell also made a big impression, placing third in her age group competing in the forms and came first in weapons to secure the weapons’ grand champion title.

“Jashae and Milahn did very well and exceeded expectations,” Kristina Ingham, of the Bermuda Karate Organisation, said.

Lamontgne and Powell were among a trio of local martial artists who achieved grand-champion status during the championship held at the Sheraton Reston Hotel.

Kent Bean, who also competes in kung fu, won age group honours in the forms and weapons. He was also the forms’ grand champion.

Lamontgne and Kentaro Bean were the only team members that competed in all three disciplines at the event, featuring junior and adult martial artists.

In all the ten-strong Bermuda Karate Organisation team, the largest to compete at the championship, earned 23 medals to go along with the three grand-champion titles.

Bean placed first competing in both forms and weapons and was third in sparring.

Andrea McKey, the team leader, placed third in forms and third in two separate divisions in weapons.

Andre Joseph, who was also making his debut at the championship, placed first in forms and weapons, while Callaahj Simons and Amarriah Vaughans placed second and third in forms and sparring.

Also producing impressive displays were Kianna Agular-Vaughans, who was a finalist in forms and Dominique Brown who was a finalists in forms and weapons. All team members, who were aged between 6 and 40, earned the right to compete at the championship based on the points they earned from local tournaments last year.