Wushu exponents seek morale boost on biggest stage

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian exponents get their campaign under way in the World Wushu Championships in Shanghai, China, today looking for morale-boosting performances before the SEA Games from Nov 30-Dec 11.

Defending men’s jianshu (sword) world champion Wong Weng Son heads the men’s team while former world champion Phoon Eyin leads the women’s team.

The other male exponents are Clement Ting, Loh Choon How and Chuah Shangyang while Tan Cheong Min, Phoon Eyin, Loh Ying Ting and Sydney Chin carry the medal hopes in the women’s department.

The SEA Games wushu competition suffered a shock with most of the events in taolu (barehands and weapons) removed.

The 20-year-old Sydney will be the only Malaysian woman exponent going for the SEA Games as only the taijijian and taijiquan events will be contested and there are several men exponents too.

Team manager Datuk Chong Kim Fatt considers the world meet a more important mission as it will reflect the true strength of the Malaysian team.

“Most of the events where we are strong in have been dropped at the SEA Games, so it is not a reflection of what our exponents are capable of,” said Kim Fatt.

“It is the world championships where we want to see the actual standard of our exponents.

“We are sending a fairly new squad as our top exponents such as Loh Jack Chang and Diana Bong retired last year, so the focus will be on the new generation exponents such as Loh Choong How and Tan Cheong Min in the men’s taiji and women’s nanquan disciplines respectively.

“We have increased the technical difficulty for the exponents in the one-month training stint we had in Fuzhou for the team, so we hope they will be ready to bring back some medals.

“We hope to win two gold medals to show Malaysia are strong in wushu at the world,” added Kim Fatt.

World University Games silver medallist Cheong Min will be the first Malaysian exponent down for the women’s nanquan today, followed by Phoon Eyin in the women’s jianshu (sword).