Over 200 compete in Wushu, Dragon and Lion Dance Championship in Mukah
SIBU: Over 200 students are competing in the 4th Sarawak Inter- school Wushu, Dragon and Lion Dance Championship which is held in Mukah for the first time.
The competing teams are from schools in Sibu, Sarikei, Betong, Miri, Kuching, Bintulu and Mukah.
Sibu Martial Arts ( Quanshu) Association (SMAA) chief coach Gilbert Wong said Sibu is sending 14 teams comprising 50 exponents to the competition which ends on July 1.
The Sibu contingent is made up of SMK Sacred Heart, SMK Methodist, SM Wong Nai Siong, SMK Tung Hua and SM Guong Ming.
“Sibu has many participants who are experienced in lion dance. However, for the dragon dance category, Sibu exponents lack the expertise and exposure,” Wong said.
Meanwhile, SMAA which has been instrumental in churning out lion and dragon dancers since it penetrated into the respective schools here over 10 years ago, is also sending a team under its own flagship to the championship.
SMAA recently won a consolation prize in the nation-wide Sarawak Chinese Independent Schools Dragon-Lion Dance and Wushu Championship held in Sibu.
The tournament attracted 60 enthusiasts from SM Wong Nai Siong, Catholic High School, Guong Ming Middle School, Kiang Hin Middle School, Citizen Middle School and Riam Road Middle School from Miri.
Riam Road Middle School took the title and will represent Sarawak at the National Chinese Independent Schools Dragon-Lion Dance and Wushu Championship to be held in Kuala Lumpur in July.