Kenneth Edwards - Jamaica's best shot for gold. - file

Battle lines were drawn from as early as yesterday's weigh-in for the fifth International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) World Cup, which kicks off this morning at Montego Bay's convention centre.

Flags representing the 30 participating countries hung from balconies at the nearby athletes' village at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa, sending a clear message to Jamaica's 75 athletes that no comfort should be had from being at home.

Jamaica have never won more than two medals at an ITF world tournament and are hoping their stars will turn back the likes of Argentina, which have 163 athletes ready and raring to go for the biggest martial arts tournament ever held in the Caribbean.

The locals will be on the medal hunt starting this morning at 9 a.m. when mainly coloured belts pre-juniors and juniors face off in sparring and patterns.

However, black-belt action previews in the afternoon with Ashieka Dyer of the Jamaica Taekwon-Do Centre down to face Dafne Aramendy of Argentina in Ring Seven Female Black Belt Sparring - 56kg Senior.

Dyer, a many-time medallist at the United States Open and member of Jamaica's female combined team, is among the local senior black belt stars expected to make finals at home, starting tomorrow.

Dyer's teammates, Sheckema Cunningham and junior black belt Subrina Richards, are also touted for podium spots.

In the male draw, Olympian Kenneth Edwards is defending World Cup heavyweight champion, having won his first ITF world medal in Brighton, England, 2012. He is regarded as Jamaica's best shot at gold.

Nicholas Dusard won lightweight silver at Brighton and is also eyeing gold, which has eluded him at ITF world tournaments. The Jamaican lightweight star is up against old rivals Matias Bustamante of Argentina and United States' Julio Carlos, who had eliminated him at the World Championships in Spain last October.

Tonight's opening ceremony, 7 p.m., will feature singjay I-Octane as the billed act. Friday's gala night will see Kiprich and the 'Energy God', Elephant Man, on stage.

Admission to the event each day is $500 and includes the opening ceremony. Gala night, however, will cost patrons $1,000 and starts at 8 p.m. on Friday. A season armband costs $2,500 and includes opening ceremony and gala night.

TODAY'S MATCHUPS

Ring 2

Male Colour Belt Sparring - 45kg Pre-junior

Tye McKay vs Renya Hayshi (Japan)

Justyn Reid, Mandeville Taekwon-Do (bye), to face winner of Ryotaro Kobayashi (Japan) vs Nicolas Taylor (USA)

Jaeland Hamm, Mandeville Taekwon-Do vs Kim Andersson (Sweden)

Chavaughn Wilkins vs Alex Soto (Argentina)

Godfrey Jomo of Mandeville Taekwon-Do vs Ignacio Constancio (Argentina)

Ring 4

Male Pattern, Colour Belts, Junior

Joshane Thompson vs Matias Nielsen (Argentina)

Maurice HIbbert vs Juan Pablo Gomez (Colombia)

Paz Rodrigues vs Yukiyoshi Omisha (Japan)

Deandre Leith vs Julian Volenterio (Argentina)

Akeem Bancroft vs Valtteri Mustonen (Finland)

Tahj Hewitt vs Andreas Lindholm (Sweden)

Hakeem Dunkley, Mandeville Taekwon-Do, vs Geronimo Neyro (Argentina)

Christopher Campbell vs Walter Trussy (Pataguay)

David Watkin, Ultimate and Red Dragon Taekwon-Do, vs Vishal Reddy (Canada)

Damany Gayle vs Tom Schollaert (Belgium)

Ring 6

Male Pattern, Colour Belts, Senior

Kevaughn Johnson vs Guillermo Colombo (Argentina)

Jason Williams vs Dario Morales (Argentina)

Richard Stone vs Gil Hernan (Argentina)

Akeel Andrews (bye) to face winner of Gavin Wallace (England ) vs Daniel Agudelo (Colombia)

Ring 7

Female Black Belt Sparring - 56kg Senior

Ashieka Dyer vs Dafne Aramendy (Argentina)