Malaysia upset wushu will have only two women events in Hanoi
PETALING JAYA: The Vietnam SEA Games could be the only competition in store for the national wushu team and their exponents can’t help but feel that they have been short-changed again.
The Hanoi organisers will retain the same nine events in taolu (barehands and weapons) discipline from the last edition in the Philippines two years ago.
But this comes at the expense of the women’s disciplines. There will be only two taolu events for women – taijijian (taiji sword) and taijiquan events.
Wushu Federation of Malaysia (WFM) president Datuk Chong Kim Fatt said they have tried to lobby earlier for the Vietnam organisers to reinstate the full programme of events but to no avail.
“When we hosted the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in 2017, we had a full programme of 17 events (eight for men, nine for women). But Philippines decided to drop most of the events where we have good exponents.
“But I am surprised Vietnam have decided not to hold most of the women’s events.
“Vietnam have good women exponents based on previous SEA Games results.
“Vietnam are not just good in taolu but also in sanda (sparring) events,” said Kim Fatt.
Malaysia have a reigning world champion in wushu in Wong Weng Son but it will be frustration again for the Negri Sembilanborn exponent as his main events – jianshu and qiangshu – will not be competed.
Weng Son won silvers from two previous SEA Games campaigns.
The 28-year-old also settled for two silvers in Kuala Lumpur in 2017.
“As there are not many events, we are expecting to send a smaller squad. The good thing is the exponents are all still in the training programme.”
Wushu has never failed to contribute gold at the SEA Games stage over the last two decades.
The wushu team delivered two golds when Vietnam last hosted the SEA Games in 2003.
In Philippines two years ago, the hosts emerged as overall champions with 7-2-2 while Malaysia chalked up 2-1-1. Both of Malaysia’s gold medals came from Loh Choon How in men’s taijiquan and taijijian.