"A PERFECT year", was how Sheckema Cunningham summed up 2010 after winning every local tournament in sight before leading the female combined martial arts team to a thrilling victory over the United States in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 13.

Cunningham, a lead instructor at Future Leaders Karate, has just one local tournament left to conquer, the December 11 Taekwondo Open, to be declared undisputed female champion for 2010.

Her most exciting moment for 2010, she said, was the team's triumph over the United States, which fielded two national champions from its 2011 International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) world championships squad.

"The win over the USA was the most exciting ever," she said. "None of us knew who we were up against. We were absolutely nervous going to Philadelphia. After getting that win, I could see the joy on my coach's face," she said.

victories

In addition to dominating the local scene this season, last year Cunningham also led the female team to victories against Trinidad and Tobago and Vietnam.

Another high point for Cunningham this season was winning a silver in the US Open's most coveted section - black-belt points sparring - in July.

For 25-year-old Cunningham, her international success almost never happened. She should not have been on the female combined team.

The unit was drafted as a development team of Under-21s. However, the unavailability of certain key juniors led coach and founder Jason McKay to switch to a blend of experience and youth.

Given the chance to showcase her skills internationally, McKay has since described Cunningham as "an absolute pleasure to coach" and a passionate athlete who tries her best at every workout.

"She is one of the most willing to learn I have ever coached and she carries the burden of the team on her shoulders in a manner more befitting someone with far more experience," he added.

lofty ambitions

Explaining Cunningham's attention to detail, McKay said her victory over Zarina Ikromova, who had beaten her at the New York Open in September, was "textbook".

"It's almost as if she was following the instructions, step-by-step," he said.

Cunningham has lofty ambitions for the taekwondo world championships in New Zealand next March.

She is a third-degree karate black belt, yet to grade for a taekwondo black belt, which is a must to compete at any taekwondo world championship.

"It's a transition, totally different," she said. "Taekwondo is totally different from karate. My instructor, Patrick Chang, has given the go-ahead for me to grade for a taekwondo black belt. The grading will just be before we leave so I am learning the stuff to be graded."

It will be another test of the microweight's strength.

"I don't know what to expect," she said. "A world championship is never easy, I 've never been to one before. I just have to train and be focused for New Zealand," she added.