Asian Games

[GeneChing]

I could have sworn we already had a thread for this, but all I could find were the Asian Indoor Games (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53777), the Asian Wushu Championships (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50935) and the Asian Martial Arts Games (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53179). Ironically, the Asian Games is bigger than all three of those others.

Official website of the 16th Asian Games
November 12 - 27, 2010 (http://www.gz2010.cn/en)

Here are the martial events: Archery, Boxing, Dragon Boat, Fencing, Judo, Kabaddi, Karate, Modern Pentathlon, Shooting, Taekwondo, Wrestling, Wushu


Asian tigers roaring in own martial arts (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/2010-asian-games/Asian-tigers-roaring-in-own-martial-arts/articleshow/6856909.cms)
AFP, Nov 2, 2010, 08.37am IST

TOKYO: Japan are ready to emphasise their comeback in judo by fielding seven world champions at the Asian Games where South Korea's supremacy in taekwondo is put to test by a new electronic scoring system.

The other traditional Asian-born martial arts of wushu and karate are also marked with increasingly tough competition while struggling to secure a future place in the Olympics.

The Guangzhou Asian Games give Japanese judokas, who won a record 10 gold medals at the world championships in Tokyo in September, a chance to avenge their humiliation.

At the 2006 Doha Games, Japan failed to top the gold medal table for the first time since 1986 when South Korea grabbed six golds against Japan's two as judo made its Asiad debut in Seoul. The women's competition debuted in 1990.

China won five golds, all in the women's divisions, in 2006 while Japan took two men's and two women's titles and South Korea grabbed four men's titles.

Japanese men further suffered from a record-low Olympic haul of two medals in Beijing in 2008 and an unprecedented title drought at the 2009 world championships before this year's four-gold comeback.

"It's going to be quite a tough battle," Kazuro Yoshimura, technical director at the All-Japan Judo Federation, told AFP.

"Central Asian countries are getting stronger while South Koreans are obsessed with gold medals which could exempt them from military service," he said. "Hosts China will surely go for it in the women's game."

The Japanese men's team features Daiki Kamikawa, who beat French giant Teddy Riner in the open-weight final in Tokyo, denying him a record fifth world title.

On the women's team is Mika Sugimoto, who won the world over-78kg and open titles by beating Qin Qian in the absence of another Chinese Tong Wen who dominated the heavyweight since 2005 but was banned for doping in May.

The centuries-old Korean fighting sport of taekwondo is experiencing a change in its scoring system after a judging controversy in Beijing threatened to kick it off the future Olympic programme.

The 2009 world taekwondo championships became the first major tournament where competitors were required to wear electronic sensors in the body armour and the socks so that effective kicks are detected more objectively.

But the new system has forced fighters to learn how to adjust their body movements and have the foot sensors hit the body sensors to score.

"The system has changed so it's hard to predict how we will do," South Korea's Asiad coach Ryoo Byung-Kwan said.

"But one thing for sure is that it has become harder for Korean players who are not used to the new system."

South Korea have maintained their taekwondo supremacy since winning seven out of eight men's titles on offer at the sport's Asiad debut in 1986. The first women's competition was held in 1998.

In Doha, South Korea won nine out of 16 gold medals, including five men's. China trailed with three golds, all in women's events. Iran, Taiwan, Jordan and Qatar each won one.

"We aim for a total of eight gold medals with the women beating China and the men beating Iran," said Ryoo.

His men's squad include Lee Dae-Hoon, who won the men's 63kg title at the 2007 Korea Open, and 2005 world 87kg bronze medallist Heo Jun-Nyung.

Lee Sung-Hye, the 2007 world women's 57kg champion, aims to defend her Asian Games title and Hwang Mi-Na hopes to add the 46kg Asiad title to her 2010 World Student Game gold medal.

China swept all wushu titles in 1990 when the sport was introduced at the Beijing Asian Games. In Doha, they won nine titles against one each for the Philippines and Malaysia.

Karate has been on the Asiad menu since 1994 when Japan won nine out of 11 titles. In 2006, Japan's haul stood at four against three for Iran and two for Kuwait in 2006. Vietnam, Taiwan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan won one each.

[GeneChing]

Mistress of the long fist. That could be interpreted so many ways.

Updated November, 05 2010 09:43:55
Wushu fighters ready for combat (http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/Sports/205383/Wushu-fighters-ready-for-combat-.html)

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/ImageHandler.ashx?ThumbnailID=121034
Mistress of the long fist: Viet Nam's Duong Thuy Vy, whose speciality is the ‘long fist' event, will be the only Vietnamese female competing in wushu taolu at the Asian Games next week. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngoc Truong

HA NOI — Viet Nam will be hoping to revive their fortunes at this month's 16th Asian Games, even though the country's best wushu practitioners will be absent.

The onus will be on the Sanshou (combat) fighters to win medals as their taolu (performance) colleagues are unlikely to be successful – by their own admission.

The seven-member sanshou team have been in intensive training in China's Yuhan Province since September.

Nguyen Thi Bich, the 2008 world champion, will be competing in the women's 52kg category. Bich has dominated the national championship for many years. She triumphed at the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Thailand and the third Asian Indoor Games last year in Ha Noi.

Meanwhile, coach Nguyen Phuong Lan, said Bich's teammate Tan Thi Ly would definitely be attending the games.

Despite topping the sport nationally in the women's 60kg category, she has won little glory internationally.

"Sanshou fighters have progressed remarkably following their recent training in China. If they perform like they did in practice, they will win the ASIAD gold medal," said Bui Truong Giang, head of the Wushu Department at the National Sports Adminstration.

Despite their medal hopes, Viet Nam will be without Vu Tra My, Vu Thuy Linh, Nguyen Mai Phuong and Pham Hong Ngoc, all of whom are injured. Their absence will be a major blow to the team as they are among the best wushu practitioners in the country.

Host China has organised eight taolu events for both men and women, including changquan (long fist) – Viet Nam's Duong Thuy Vy's speciality.

Vy will be the only Vietnamese female competing in taolu.

On the men's side, world champion Pham Quoc Khanh, who won a gold medal at the 2007 world championship when he was aged just 17, is another medal hope.

Khanh will be competing in nanquan (South boxing) and nandao (South broad-sword).

Vietnamese performers' chief handicap is their lack of physical strength.

"Athletes will be unable to perform perfectly if they are not strong enough," Lan said.

She said the team had over the last month concentrated on building up their physical strength.

Khanh and Vy were in agreement with their coach. They both said they were happy with their technique but that they were worried they would not have enough energy to go the full minute.

Viet Nam will be sending five taolu artists to the games this year.

"With five participants. I believe we will get a medal but I am not sure whether it will be the gold," Giang said.

In previous ASIADs, Viet Nam's best result was two silver medals.

In Guangzhou, wushu will take place from November 13-17. There will be 15 sets of medals awarded. — VNS

[SPJ]

may the best win.

actually all participating athletes are winners already.

asia game was the first international event to host wushu.

:cool:

[SteveLau]

Last night I watched a TV interview of the government appointed team leader to campaign for the Asian Games to come to Hong Kong in 2023. I am against the hosting by the city initially. After hearing his argument for the event, I am more certain than ever that the city should not go for the hosting. His argument is not much solid and substanced. The estimated HKD 45 billion in 2023 prices can be put to more better and urgent use for the local people.

With regards to the Asian Games in 2010 in GuangZhou of China, I guess I would watch several events. IMHO, it would be good if Wushu will eventually become an Olympic event.

Good topic, Gene.




Regards,

KC
Hong Kong

[GeneChing]

Wushu is a long way from the Olympics now, so the Asian Games are actually the most prestigious. SteveLau, can you elaborate on why HK should not host?

Indonesia Looks to Dominate China in Wushu and Rowing
Ami Afriatni | November 07, 2010

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/media/images/medium2/20101107214711701.jpg
Indonesia’s national dragon boat team has dominated lately, taking four gold medals at the 2008 Asian Beach Games. (Photo courtesy of Herman Syah)

What are the odds of Indonesia pulling off victory in traditional Chinese sports at the Asian Games?

Judging by the results churned out lately by Indonesia’s teams in wushu and dragon-boat rowing, they’re definitely no long shots.

Their respective national federations are fielding teams that have won virtually every major international competition in the last two years, making them one of the favorites to win it all in Guangzhou, China.

“I just came back from China where our team has been training for three weeks, and I really like our chances in the Asiad,” Iwan Kwok, the national wushu team’s head coach, said last week.

What makes the wushu and the rowing teams’ gold-medal quest unique, however, is that their sports are deeply entrenched in the very country that will be hosting this month’s Asian Games.

Wushu, a form of martial arts loosely referred to as kung fu, and dragon-boat rowing trace their origins to China, where their development is believed to have spanned centuries.

Now, Indonesia aims to achieve Asian recognition by dominating the two sports right at the heart of their homeland.

Talk about going deep into enemy territory.

“Playing in China isn’t and shouldn’t be a big deal,” Iwan said. “Our team competed in the World Combat Games in Beijing [on Aug. 28-Sept. 4], and part of that was getting used to the kind of atmosphere we expect to face come the Asian Games.”

Given their track record nothing should intimidate Indonesia’s top two wushu athletes, Susyana Tjhan and Lindswell Kwok, in Guangzhou.

Susyana medaled at least once in the last five editions of the Southeast Asian Games, winning nine overall including three golds that came in 2001, ’05 and ’09.

In the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, the 25-year-old became only the second Indonesian to earn a place on the podium in the quadrennial event.

Her silver-medal finish in the changquan category (long fist) was the country’s second Asiad medal in the sport since Jaenab also took silver in the 1998 Games in Bangkok.

“Susyana has what it takes to give us a medal. I don’t know what color it will be, but a top three finish is realistic,” national wushu team manager Ngatino said.

Ngatino has higher hopes though for 20-year-old Lindswell, who stunned the international wushu community by clinching the gold in the tajiquan category (ultimate fist) at the 2009 World Championships in Canada.

Lindswell’s other achievements include a gold-medal finish at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Bali, and silver at the 2009 SEA Games in Laos.

But Wushu Indonesia (PBWI) is pointing to its success at the World Combat Games this year as the main reason for its optimism ahead of the Asian Games.

Susyana earned a bronze, while Lindswell copped two gold medals at the WGC held in Beijing.

“If Lindswell maintains her current form, I don’t know why she can’t bring home the gold from the Asian Games,” Iwan said.

The Indonesian Rowing, Canoeing, Kayaking and Dragon Boat Association (Podsi) has also set lofty goals for the Asian Games, with an eye on the gold medal in the men’s and the women’s 1,000-meter events.

Indonesia, not China, can call itself the most dominant dragon-boat rowing team in the continent, having won four of six gold medals available during the 2008 Asian Beach Games in Bali.

National rowing team manager Mardinal Jamaluddin said both the men’s and the women’s teams have already posted faster times since their victories in the Asian Beach Games.

The rowers have been training rigorously at Jatiluhur Dam in Purwakarta, West Java, since June.

“We’ve focused a lot on improving our rowers’ conditioning. That will be the key for them to win in Guangzhou,” he said.

The rowers competed at the Korea Open 1st International Dragon Boat Regatta in September, where they won all six events they were fielded in, although the field did not include China.

National rowing head coach Suryadi said he would’ve wanted to have faced China in Busan to see how the two teams, in their current form, stack up.

“We posted impressive times in Korea, and that was our goal there,” Suryadi said.

[SteveLau]

Why HK should not host? IMHO, there are several reasons:

(1) Hosting the Asian Games does not promote the local interest in taking sports much.

(2) The cost does not justify the benefit at all.

(3) There are higher priority short-term and long-term problems in HK that need us to attend to.



Regards,

KC
Hong Kong

[GeneChing]

I suppose I can see your first point to some degree, although I'd argue that given the nature of these games, few locals play all of the sports involved. I can certainly see points 2 & 3. Thanks for your input.

Here's some more on the Asian Games.

Nationals off to Asiad war (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=628701&publicationSubCategoryId=69)
By Olmin Leyba (The Philippine Star) Updated November 10, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The athletes tapped to don the Philippine colors to the 16th Asian Games have begun leaving in batches for Guangzhou, China, all pumped up and hopefully well-prepared to equal, if not surpass, the four-gold, six-silver, nine-bronze harvest of the last Asiad.

Early birds in the southern Chinese city among the 188 athletes are the sailing team which arrived last Nov. 4 to attend to their boat
being delivered from Australia; judoka John Baylon and weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who went to Guangzhou in time for today’s Torch Run; and the Gilas Pilipinas cage team and two triathletes who left Manila ahead of the others yesterday.

The main bulk of Team Philippines, composed of 64 athletes from 13 sports, is booked to board two separate flights to Guangzhou today via China Southern Airlines. They will be accompanied in the two-hour direct flight by 36 coaches, team managers and officials, led by chef de mission Joey Romasanta.

Leading this big batch are Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 silver medalist Mary Jane Estimar and bronze medalists Benjie Rivera and Marianne Mariano, Olympian rower Benjie Tolentino, Olympian shooters Jethro Dionisio and Eric Ang, and Asia’s first Grandmaster Eugene Torre.

Aside from wushu, rowing, shooting and chess, the other sports represented in this bunch are canoe-kayak, cycling, dancesport, gymnastics, judo, tennis, soft tennis, and weightlifting. Dancesport has the most number of delegates with 12 athletes and three coaches, followed by soft tennis with 10 bets and two mentors.

The next day, Nov. 11, it will be the turn of 45-athlete strong group topbilled by gold medal prospects billiards, bowling and taekwondo along with swimming.

The stellar cast is bannered by world-class cuemasters Efren Reyes, Dennis Orcollo and Rubilen Amit, two-time Olympian jin Tshomlee Go, and former bowling champs Liza del Rosario and Liza Clutario and Bowling World Cup third placer Biboy Rivera. With them are Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia.

The rest of the athletes will depart for the southern Chinese city in nine other batches: Xiangqi chess on Nov. 12; golf and karate on Nov. 13; archery on Nov. 14; fencing, squash and the fancied boxing team on Nov. 15; softball and diving on Nov. 17; athletics on Nov. 18; wrestling on Nov. 19; and rhythmic gymnastics on Nov. 23.


13-member Wushu team cleared for Asian Games (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/2010-asian-games/13-member-Wushu-team-cleared-for-Asian-Games/articleshow/6896474.cms)
PTI, Nov 9, 2010, 08.31pm IST

RANCHI: A 13-member Indian Wushu contingent, including three coaches, have been cleared by the Union Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs for the November 12 Asian Games at Guangzhou in China, a release said on Tuesday.

According to the Wushu Association of India, the team comprise ten players and three coaches.

The players are -- Santosh Kumar, Bimoljit Singh, Sandeep Yadav, Ravinder Kumar, Y Sanathoi Devi, W Sandya Rani, A Toshibala, H Deewan, Gyandash Singh and S Somorjit Singh.

The Chief coach is Md Islamuddin besides coaches Kuldeep Handoo and M Sachidananda. Four other officials would accompany the team at their own cost, the email said.

The team will compete in different weight group between 56 kg and 75 kg. Wushu is a full contact sport derived from Chinese martial art.
I love that last line in the article above. It's sure to confuse the martial illiterate.

[Yum Cha]

Why HK should not host? IMHO, there are several reasons:

(1) Hosting the Asian Games does not promote the local interest in taking sports much.

(2) The cost does not justify the benefit at all.

(3) There are higher priority short-term and long-term problems in HK that need us to attend to.



Regards,

KC
Hong Kong


Come on Steve, imagine it....all the athletes being rowed to Han's Island across HK harbour.....
:D

[SPJ]

Come on Steve, imagine it....all the athletes being rowed to Han's Island across HK harbour.....
:D

there are so many tales and movies about underground or secret ku mi te near hong kong

:D

[SteveLau]

Here is the latest development on application for hosting of the Asian Games 2023:

Yesterday, the HK ad-hoc committee for such application said the direct expenses can be cut by 60%?!! I agree with the critics saying that the committee were not serious in their initial budget estimation. Or they could be lying about it too! This BS application process is one big reason that I am against HK hosting for the Asian Games.


P.S. The main reason that I believe that the city is not a suitable host for the Asian Games is its landscape. It is mountainous, having not much flat land. Thus making logistics difficult to be carried out. The argument that HK had a success in hosting the East Asian Games in 2009 is not much valid. It is much smaller in scale than the Asian Games. Hosting such big sport games needs large amount of resources include land, infrastructure, logistics, human resources, besides tons of money to spend.



KC
Hong Kong

[David Jamieson]

It's true. Hosting games is a huge effort and a huge expense for whatever city does it. There are rewards though. The better the job done, the more tourist dollars that follow with good experiences of visitors.

This is what is the most important aspect of any international games in whatever format. Good will and commerce!

[SPJ]

do not know about HK politics

but China will lose money or subsidize international events hosted to boost national pride and improve/polish international image

mobilize volunteers to save money on labor.

look up the number of volunteers in olympic games in beijing (2008) and world fare/expo in shang hai (2010).

money spent in hosting international events is wise.

money spent in defense and subsidy to african countries is dubious.

or they are bigger holes to fill and the results are untangible at best.

[GeneChing]

It's good to have the HK-eye-view on this. I didn't even know HK was bidding for it. We don't get any news of the Asian Games here in the states beyond the web, and we have to actively search for it.

Having a successful international games is key. The Beijing Olympics (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39275)showed how it could be done. On the flip side was the Delhi Commonwealth Games (AKA the shame games). (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58423)


10 Nov, 2010, 12.35PM IST,AGENCIES
Asiad: Obscure sports eye breakthrough (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/Asiad-Obscure-sports-eye-breakthrough/articleshow/6900338.cms)

GUANGZHOU: The little-known disciplines of dance sport, dragon boat racing and wushu go on display at the Asian Games, with organisers hoping they will eventually gain recognition well beyond the region.

Kabaddi and roller sports are also among the 42 events in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou, while cricket remains an oddity for many locals, though that has done nothing to stop them snapping up tickets.

"Asia is the largest continent in the world and has a diverse culture," Husain Al-Musallam, director general and technical director of the Olympic Council of Asia, told a press conference on Wednesday.

He highlighted cricket and dance sport as examples where the Asiad was setting itself apart from the traditional Olympic sports, in the hope they will one day become as central to the Summer Games as athletics and swimming.

"Most of the Asian sports are very popular in the other four continents," said Al-Musallam.

Wushu, better known as martial arts, is a traditional Chinese sport that made its debut at the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990.

It includes elaborate displays in which competitors wear traditional garb and wield weapons including swords.

Dragon boat racing is another sport that has its roots in China, particularly in the south of the country, and it makes its Asian Games debut in Guangzhou.

A typical dragon boat is colourful and fitted with a head and tail -- and also a special place for a drummer. The crew on the boat normally comprises one steerer, one drummer and 20 paddlers.

"During the Olympic Games we have the Olympic sports only," said Al-Musallam. "Now we have 14 sports different to the Olympic programme.

"In these 14 sports, there are millions of Asian youth following and practising, and through the Asian Games we try to give the Asian athletes the opportunity to play for their country."

China are expected to dominate in many sports at the Games, but one in which they will not is kabaddi -- because they have not entered a team either in the men's or women's competition.

"It is just not popular in China," said Gong Yemin, from the Sport for All administration Centre in Beijing. "There is no teachers, no coaches, no culture, no habit -- this is the main problem."

Kabaddi, long dominated by countries in South Asia, is a team contact sport with seven players on each side in which the idea is to "raid" into the opponents' territory and touch as many opponents as possible.

Dance sport, generally defined as partner dancing between a man and a woman, makes its first appearance as an official Asian Games sport and has developed from ballroom dancing to include a number of modern styles.

The Asian Games run from November 12-27 with 45 countries and territories competing in 42 sports.


Yuan Xiaochao sets to win 1st gold in Wushu (http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90779/90867/7195097.html)
16:58, November 10, 2010

Another busy day at the Asian Games as we are into the final countdown ahead of the opening ceremonies on Friday evening. Among the early highlights, hopefully, for China will be the initial Wushu competition, where one of the countries top medal hopes will look to earn the first gold medal at home.

Yuan Xiaochao, one of China's most acclaimed names in Wushu, is warming up at the Nansha Gymnasium, the competition venue for Wushu events.

Yuan is considered the favorite to win the first gold medal for China in Changquan on Friday morning and he says he's in top form.

Yuan will have to miss the opening ceremonies...but it's all part of ensuring he will be in top form.

"Although I will miss the opening ceremony as I need to prepare for the next day's competition, I will cheer for the ceremony along with my teammates on TV."

Iran delegation welcomed at the village

Meanwhile, one of the biggest delegations from the middle east was welcomed in the Athletes' Village. A national flag raising ceremony was held at the center square of the International Zone for Iran. Iran is a strong medal contender in wrestling, taekwondo, wushu and Dragon Boats.

Athletes village dining hall receiving top marks

Meanwhile, the dining hall in the village is winning praise from the athletes. Over 100 kinds of cuisine from across Asia and even the world are served. Athletes can enjoy almost every kind of food they like in the village. As well, the kitchen ensures that athletes who have a specific diet due to religion can get everything they need.

[GeneChing]

If wushu got cut from the Asian games, that would be a staggering blow to the sport.

Chess, dance might get cut from 2014 Asian Games (http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1430100&lang=eng_news)
Associated Press
2010-11-11 07:03 PM

South Korean organizers of the next Asian Games in Incheon have proposed cutting sports such as cricket and dance from the 2014 program.

The Olympic Council of Asia has decided to cap the number of sports at future Asian Games at 35 _ 28 from the Olympic program and seven more that reflect the region's culture.

The Guangzhou Games starting Friday includes 42 sports.

The OCA on Thursday said Incheon organizers submitted a list that includes the non-Olympic sports of baseball, bowling, kabaddi, sepak takraw, softball, squash and wushu.

Existing sports missing from that list include cricket, cue sports, dance sport, dragon boat racing, roller sports and chess.

The OCA will decide the 2014 sports program on the weekend.

[GeneChing]

November 12, 2010 20:06 PM
Good Concentration Crucial In Wushu, Says Diana (http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newssport.php?id=542873)
By Fafhanah Azmi

GUANGZHOU, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- All Diana Bong, Malaysia's wushu exponent, wants at the 16th Asian Games is good concentration during her performance.

"A good concentration during my performance is crucial for me. I want to perform the very best here," said the petite Sarawakian when met at the Athletes Games Village, here Friday.

Diana, 25, who hails from Kuching, is among Malaysia's medal prospects at the Guongzhou Asian Games.

"My highest target here is to get the silver medal, which is to better my performance in the last Asian Games in Doha, where I won the bronze medal," she said.

She added that a two-month training stint in Fuzhou, China since Sept 5 has helped her to strengthen her performance.

Previously at the 2006 Doha Asian Games, Diana had to compete in three diciplines -- nanquan, nandao and nangun while at this Asiad, only the nanquan and nandao diciplines are contested.

Diana will start Malaysia's medal chase tomorrow in the women's nanquan and nandao diciplines.

The wushu competition in Guangzhou offers two more gold medals in taolu (performance competition), making it eight instead of the six offered at the 2006 edition.

The men's and women's changquan will see two separate events -- one for barehands and the other for weapons.I love the phrase "petite Sarawakian". It's so musical.


November 12, 2010 20:43 PM
Malaysia Start Asiad Medal Campaign Tomorrow (http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newssport.php?id=542881)

GUANGZHOU, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysia start their medal campaign in the 16th Asian Games here on Saturday with the focus being on the wushu and cycling events.

A total of 19 medals are offer on the first day of competition on Saturday, after the Games is officially opened Friday night.

All eyes will be on national women's cyclist Fatehah Mustafa who will be in action in the final of the 500m time trial and two wushu finals where Ang Eng Chong will do battle in the men's Taolu (changquan) and Diana Bong Siong Lin in the women's Taolu (nanquan and nandao).

Up for grabs is one gold in track cycling and two in wushu.

The bulk of the gold medals (six) will come from the pool on Saturday but Malaysian swimmers are expected to find it hard to match their counterparts from the host nation and Japan.

The other medals will come from artistic gymnastics (1), shooting (6), triathlon (1) and weightlifting (2).

At the last Asiad in Doha in 2006, Malaysia grabbed a silver in cycling through Josiah Ng in the men's keirin event while wushu provided a gold and two bronze.

Fong Chai Ying bagged the gold in the women's Taijijian while the bronze were won by Diana Bong (women's nanquan ) and Ng Shin Yii (women's taijijian).

Other events involving Malaysians on Saturday include the women's team badminton competition where Malaysia will take on Hong Kong.

The national women's badminton team lineup is made up of Wong Mew Choo, Lydia Cheah, Tee Jing Yi, Vivian Hoo/Lim Yin Loo and Woon Khe Wei/Marylen Ng.

The men's badminton team, which received a first-round bye, will also be in action on Saturday, squaring off against Thailand in the quarter-final at the Tianhe Gimnasium here.

Malaysia will be led by world number one men's singles player Datuk Lee Chong Wei who will be supported by Muhd Hafiz Hashim, Liew Darren, Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong and Mak Hee Chun/Tan Wee Kiong.

Also on Saturday, the women's cricket team will open their campaign against hosts China.

At the Tianhe Stadium here, K. Rajagobal's boys will be in a do-or-die battle against China in Group A of the football competition with failure meaning the national team will exit the Games early while the women's hockey team will be playing their opening match against India in Group A at the Aoti Hockey Field.

Meanwhile, at the Guangzhou Gymnasium, the women's table tennis team will be meeting South Korea in the opening match of Group D on Saturday morning before playing against Qatar in the afternoon.

Malaysia have sent a contingent of 333 athletes for this Guongzhou Games and are targeting nine gold, expected to come from squash, cycling, tenpin bowling and wushu.

[David Jamieson]

Pretty spectacular photos of the opening here: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/11/2010_asian_games_opening_cerem.html

[SPJ]

fire work spectacular

I heard that they started to create the fire work that write chinese characters

:cool:

[GeneChing]

I cherry-picked a few for here.

Asian Games' opening gold medal is in martial arts (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hDqFiGwGzCG7IOoZTMyIgoaN_TUQ?docId=1be49d1bf c0e475fb78aca6babe558f6)
(AP) – 1 day ago

GUANGZHOU, China (AP) — The martial art of wushu provided the first of an onslaught of gold medals for China at the Asian Games on Saturday, with the host nation excelling at everything from weightlifting to shooting to dance.

On Day 1 of this 45-nation event, two-time world champion Yuan Xiaochao struck gold before 10 a.m. by capturing the changquan discipline.

"The win has a significant meaning for me," said Yuan, an avid Bruce Lee fan with ambitions of working in a kung fu movie. "It is also a good way to make the world know China and Chinese wushu."

Yuan missed the spectacular opening ceremony Friday night, when athletes were ferried down the Pearl River to an island venue for an extravagant show of fireworks and light.

"To have the best competition I have to get rest," he said. "It's mostly to help me relax."

Yuan set the tone for the host country. China won 18 of the next 27 finals, including all five in dance sport's Asian Games debut, five of six in shooting, four of six in the pool, two each at both weightlifting and wushu and the men's team event at gymnastics. China has 28 medals overall, with 18 gold.

Japan and South Korea picked up four gold medals apiece, with Hong Kong's Lee Waisze winning the first cycling medal, setting an Asian record time of 33.945 seconds to take gold in the women's 500-meter time trial in an upset result over defending champion Guo Shuang of China.

China topped the medal count at the last Asian Games in Qatar with 166 gold medals, well ahead of second-place South Korea's 58. China's target in Guangzhou, where 476 gold medals are at stake, is to surpass its 2006 total.

Japan, third in medals at Doha, picked up gold and silver in the women's triathlon — the first gold medal contested outdoors at Guangzhou — with Mariko Adachi leading teammate Akane Tsuchihashi across the finish line in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 45 seconds.

"Now I feel very proud to get Japan's first gold medal," Adachi said.

Japan and China shared the honors in the pool at the last Asian Games. For now, China leads 4-2. Takeshi Matsuda won the 200-meter butterfly and Yuya Morihata the 400 individual medley for Japan.

Japan was expected to dominate judo, but South Koreans won three golds on the mats on the first of four days of competition.

South Korea had earlier collected its first gold of the games at shooting, winning the 50-meter pistol men's team event. Chinese shooter Yi Siling became the first multiple gold medalist of the games by winning the women's 10-meter air rifle and the 10-meter air rifle team title.

In soccer, both Koreas, China and Japan all won 3-0 Saturday and advanced to the second round. Competition got under way in cricket, which is making its debut at the Asian Games.


Nov 15, 2010
ASIAN GAMES AT GUANGZHOU
Wushu winner credits Jackie Chan (http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Sport/Story/STIStory_603487.html)
http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20101115/wushuhuang-15.jpg
China's Huang Guangyuan won another wushu gold and put credit to Hong Kong star Jackie Chang. -- PHOTO: AFP

GUANGZHOU - CHINA'S Huang Guangyuan won another wushu gold for China on Monday and put the credit at the door of Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan.

Huang posted the highest score in each of the Nanquan and Nangun elements of the all-round final for a total of 19.73 out of a possible 20.

But it was a closer race for the silver and bronze, with Hong Kong's He Jingde and Vietnam's Quoc Khanh Pham eventually finishing second and third.

Huang said he owed a debt to Hollywood star Chan, something silver medal winner He, who works as a martial arts movie stuntman, can relate to.

'I loved watching Jackie Chan's movies when I was just a child,' said Huang.

'He plays an important role in my life, as do my parents who give me great support to learn wushu.' -- AFP


Confident Lin wins second Wushu gold for China at Guangzhou Asiad (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-11/13/c_13605057.htm)
English.news.cn 2010-11-13 15:24:12

GUANGZHOU, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's Lin Fan captured the gold medal in women's Nanquan and Nandao combined competition of Wushu event at the Guangzhou Asiad on Saturday.

Lin, 23, who was crowned at the Wushu Tournament during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, presented flawless performances to win her first Asiad's gold with 19.80 points.

Indonesian Irmanto Ivana Ardelia, the youngest of 10 competitors, took the silver with 18.92 and Malaysia's Tai Cheau Xuen secured the bronze with 18.86 points.

"It's my best show ever and I want to give myself a full score for my performances," said Lin. "I set the goal to win the medal before the Games, and now, I did it."

Lin, who also won the Nanquan competition at the 2007 Beijing World Championship, failed to represent China at the Doha Games four years ago.

"It's a pity. Maybe I was not good enough at that time, but winning my first Asian Games' champion on my homeland is a sort of compensation," she said.

Earlier in the morning, China's Yuan Xiaochao cinched the first gold of the Games in men's Changquan form. Japan's Daisuke Ichikizaki won the silver and Iran's Peyghambari Ehsan snatched the bronze.

Around 150 players will compete for 15 gold medals in Wushu, a full contact sport derived from Chinese martial art. The sport comprises Taolu (set routines), and Sanshou boxing (free sparring).

The Chinese, who founded the sport, are seen the favorites in the 10 events they will participate.

[GeneChing]

... I'm just posting this one because I like the name "Smiling" Huang. Nice to see He Jingde still in the game. I did an article on him in our 2003 January/February issue (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=316) - Blazin' Wushu! China's Ballistic Champion, He Jingde By me with Woody Wong.

"Smiling" Huang wins China's 4th Wushu gold at Guangzhou Asiad (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-11/15/c_13607574.htm)
English.news.cn 2010-11-15 15:57:59

GUANGZHOU, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Huang Guangyuan won the fourth Wushu gold medal for host China at the Guangzhou Asiad in men's Nanquan and Nangun Combined on Monday.

Huang, 21, won his first Asian Games gold with 19.73 points in the event, featuring the boxing and staff art which are more often practised in south China.

He Jingde from Hong Kong, a martial arts movie stuntman, scored 19. 40 points to clinch the silver. Vitenamese Pham Quoc Khanh, who ranked second place at the 2002 Doha Asiad, claimed the bronze with 19.33 points.

Chinese have already won the championships in men's Changquan, women's Nanquan and Nandao combined, and Jianshu and Qiangshu Combined, showing the dominance on the sports they founded.

Nicknamed "master of difficulty", Huang overshadowed his opponents in balance and stability. He started the "golden Asiad trip" with a 9.87-point victory in the Nanquan competition in the morning and secured the championship with 9.86 in the Nangun.

Smiles spread on the spiky-haired young man as his named was announced at the victory ceremony. The joyful champion, wearing the red national flag of China, bit his medal after the ceremony. Huang's family, holding his picture high at the stands, shared the honor with happy tears.

"My first gold medal of Asian Games tastes really good," said Huang. "My parents and my uncle rushed to the venue from my hometown in the neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to cheer me up. I love them, and I'm happy to have them with me here, now."

The Guangzhou Asiad sees the start of the promising Huang, but also, maybe the retirement of the silver medallist He. The 32-year-old said he would quit from the next Games for the age issue.

"This is my last Asian Games. I'm 32 now. I came here to challenge myself and I'm satisfied with my performances today," he said.

The bronze medal winner Pham Quoc Khanh, who won the silver at the same event four years in Doha, showed pity to the result.

"I have trained in Guangxi, China for more than 40 days before I came here, and I get more concentrated in competitions, but it's pity I just had my knee injured, or I can do better," he said.

More than 140 players will compete for 15 gold medals in Wushu, a full contact sport derived from Chinese martial art. The sport comprises Taolu (set routines), and Sanshou boxing (free sparring).

The Chinese are seen the favorites in the 10 events they will participate.

[GeneChing]

Fencing (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29082) uses electric scoring and there's been instances of tampering and cheating. I was wondering when electric TKD (http://www.martialartsmart.com/tae-kwon-do-styles.html) would elicit similar controversy.


In Kung-fu, we believe (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/indepth/2010-11/18/c_13612398.htm)
English.news.cn 2010-11-18 16:19:35

GUANGZHOU, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Although familiar sports ranging from soccer to swimming dominate the Asian Games, Wushu has attracted a solid fan base of both the faithful and the curious.

Uzbekistan's blonde Karmazina Olga ended her first Asian Games by finishing the last at the women's taiji boxing and Taijijian all-around. The 18-year-old iatrology freshman suffered a major setback since she started practice Wushu at five, as her score is nearly 4 points less than that of the gold medal winner.

"See, I'm the only one who scored less than 16 points," said the four-time national championship winner with some embarrassment.

However, Olga said she wouldn't give up.

"It's my first time to come to China and I saw so many good players. They show me what's the best of the best, I learned a lot from them," she said. "Next time, I believe, my name won't be the last one."

Wushu, literally meaning "martial art"in Chinese, is more wildly known as Kung-fu. Founded more than 3,000 years ago, it has been developed into routines using hands, swords, spears and staffs involving stances, kicks, punches, balances, jumps and sweeps over centuries.

Thanks to Kung-fu movie stars Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, Wushu has got known by more people as cool, healthy graceful art similar to gymnastic floor exercises.

"Jet Li is my idol. Actually it's because of him I started to practice Wushu, " said Japan's Ichikizahi Daisuke in Chinese. He was silver medal winner in men's changquan, or long fist boxing at the Guangzhou Asiad.

To make his Kung-fu dream true, Ichikizahi traveled between his hometown Osaka and Tokyo, where the coach's Wushu club is, for years. He used to do several part-time jobs to make the ends meet, because the Japanese Wusu organizations only cover the costs for important events like the Asian Games.

The 23-year-old named Japanese chess and soccer as his hobbies, but those sports are what he only does when he is off the Wushu training room.

"The more I practice, I'm more clear of that I can't be another Jet Li," said Ichikizahi.

"Wushu is such a profound topic. It's far more than fighting skills. It's also about philosophy of balance between man and nature," he said.

"If possible, I will practice Wushu all my life, because I have so much to learn."

TICKET TO OLYMPICS?

For many spectators, the inclusion of the non-Olympic regional sports, such as Wushu, Kabbadi, cricket, is what gives the Asian Games its charm. For the athletes, however, competing at the Olympics is a common dream.

"A Olympic gold medal is my one last dream as a sportsman," said Wushu player Yuan Xiaochao, who won the Asian Games' first gold.

The International Wushu Federation is one of the IOC's 31 recognized federations along with cricket, golf, karate, rugby and squash, meaning a spot on the programme is not impossible.

With a growing popularity cross the world, the Chinese have been working hard to make Wushu an item on the Olympic menu. They claim a victory for the first time to hold an unofficial competition on the sidelines of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The Asian Games are seen as a good stepping stone with more than 140 athletes competing for 15 gold medals.

"It's a good opportunity to show the world that Wushu is such an beautiful, but at the same time, very competitive sport," said Gao Xiaojun, president of the Chinese Wushu Association (CWA).

However, patience are required. Sports for the 2012 Olympics have been decided and Wushu is not shortlisted for 2016.

"There is no need of rush to make the Wushu an Olympic competition, because I believe, what comes first is the cultural nature of the sports. It's a symbol of China. If Wushu exists as an competitive competition, it loses its essence," said Sardor Tashkhatjaev, secretary general of the Wushu Federation in Uzbekistan

The founders obviously don't think so. On the contrary, they believe an Olympics ID of Wushu will means a passport with free visas for Chinese culture.

"Olympics is such an important stage for the cultural communication, more powerful than Asian Games in terms of influence," said Gao. "It won't kill, but promote the Chinese culture through wushu"

The Chinese have been exercising each muscle to make Wushu into the Olympics menu by widening its presence worldwide and helping improving the skills of foreign practitioners.

"We know it will be hard. but we are trying. We have sent our coaches and provided free training abroad, and we have invited foreign athletes to come to train in China with Chinese athletes as well," said Gao.

However, revolutions need to make on both management and the Wushu formats.

Sun Jianming, coach of the Japanese Wushu team, suggested that CWA should simplify the formats of the sports.

"Chinese wushu has such a rich collection of routines, but most of them are too hard for beginners. They may appreciate it, but they won't practice," said Sun, a teammate of the famous Kung-fu star Jet Li when he was training at the Wushu team of Beijing.

"Why shouldn't we have something easier and more suitable for common people?" he asked.

Sun has been running his own Wushu club in Tokyo for more than 20 years, with more than 200 members following him to learn Taijiquan, or shadow boxing. In his eyes, both the boxing formats, featuring 24 moves, and the designed music are too "old".

"They were developed in 1950s, and never changed," he said.

Sun found his own way by reducing the standard set of 24 moves to eight.

"More seniors and youngsters thus join in, and they get to know Wushu is not only for the Jet Lees -- it's something every one can do," said the 51-year-old.

Sardor Tashkhatjaev, however, looks forward to more international cooperations.

"I hope they can airdrop some Chinese coaches for us," said the 38-year-old, a former national championship of Chinese Sanda (free sparring).

"I know the Japanese, the Iranians and many other athletes are coached by Chinese, and I hope the Chinese may consider spread the seeds in Uzbekistan too."

[GeneChing]

Here's some follow up on the TKD controversy Xiao3 Meng4 broke for us here.

Darlene Storm
Security Is Sexy
November 21, 2010 - 4:36 P.M.
Hackers attack with digital kung-fu, demand taekwondo gold medal (http://blogs.computerworld.com/17395/hackers_attack_with_digital_kung_fu_demand_taekwon do_gold_medal)

After the disqualification of a female athlete who was headed toward a gold medal and could literally kick the snot out of most of us in real life, hackers attacked and it turned into an online fight of digital kung-fu.

At the Asian Games held in China, Yang Shu-Chun was winning the taekwondo semi-final by 9-0. Her victory seemed a sure thing. But a referee suddenly ended the game, accused Yang of misplacing electronic sensors in her foot guards and removed her from the ring.

Some online chatter claims it is a conspiracy that disqualified Yang before she reached the gold medal race. China's contestant will now supposedly face a much weaker opponent in the gold-medal round.

Here's a little background about the socks (sockgate) in any official taekwondo game, according to WTF rules. All checks are made before the game begins and Yang's equipment was examined and passed prior to the fight. This included checking the electronic sensors in her foot guards. These sensors were introduced to make judging fairer by detecting when a taekwondo competitor scores a point by landing a kick on their opponent. Kicking Yang from the competition and "taking" her medal over these electronic socks turned into a major uproar.

TechBang reported that the Asian Taekwondo Union (ATU) further ticked off the Taiwanese by publishing an article on its official website that criticized the Taiwan team for its "shocking act of deception."

Hackers, allegedly from Taiwan, attacked the ATU website to display a middle finger flipped upward between the national flags of South Korea and the People's Republic of China. The defaced website also had messages that said, "we all Taiwanese," "shame on you," and demanded that the ATU "give our gold medal back."

TechBang posted a screenshot of the hacked ATU website before the message was taken down. The hacked site also showed a video that allegedly uncovered the "truth" behind the controversy and conspiracy that disqualified Yang. The video showed Yang removing extra sensors on her foot guards and giving them to her coach before the competition.

According to Taipei Times, ATU said their site went down "because of excessive traffic" and "remains paralyzed today for unknown reasons." ATU's "shocking act of deception" website statement was labeled as "inappropriate" by a South Korea-based World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) official.

Hanopolis reported Yang's statement, "I brought two pairs of WTF-certified socks with me. The Chinese examiner asked me to scrap the first pair, but the second pair passed the examination." Angry Taiwanese fans and politicians called for a boycott of Korean products. Protest rallies, Korean flag burnings, and a Facebook campaign were launched for the disqualified athlete.

Taiwan's government demanded an apology for ATU's statement and claimed the disqualification was unjust. ATU taekwondo chiefs apologized for calling "Taiwan's Yang Shu-chun a cheat" after she was disqualified at the Asian Games for wearing "illegal super socks," a Straits Time report said.

China said the disqualification was "regretful" but WTF will not hold a full inquiry until after Asian games are over.

[SPJ]

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/video/video.php?v=143140675734833&comments

tai chi play from taiwan in asia games 2010.

:)

[GeneChing]

It made Reuters

INTERVIEW-Games-'Mummy's boy' Zou back in action for Asian Games (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE6AK01520101121)
By Sabrina Mao and Ian Ransom
GUANGZHOU, China | Sun Nov 21, 2010 10:13am EST

GUANGZHOU, China Nov 21 (Reuters) - Olympic champion Zou Shiming's rise to the pinnacle of amateur boxing sprang from martial arts -- and the need to man up against bullying from the boys and girls who used to terrorise him.

"I was weak when I was young, always bullied by others, even girls," Zou told Reuters in an interview at the athletes' village at the Guangzhou Asian Games.

"My mother spoiled me and raised me like a girl, including tying my hair into pigtails."

The 29-year-old Zou, like Chinese boxing in general, now has much less of an identity crisis.

Zou put Chinese boxing on the map at the 2004 Athens Olympics, his awkward but effective style upsetting a string of opponents and securing bronze, China's first medal in the sport.

He then led his team mates to a shock four-medal haul at the 2008 Beijing Games, with his victory over Mongolian opponent Badar-Uugan Enkhbat in their light-flyweight final bringing up the hosts' 50th gold.

Zou will now lead China's 13-strong boxing team at the Asian Games, and like most other sports in Guangzhou, they are expected to take the spoils on home territory.

His achievements are a far cry from the boy who was too scared to tell his mother about his love of the ring.

"She did not understand me at the beginning of my career," said pint-sized and soft-spoken Zou.

"I was forbidden from practising so I trained secretly. She later supported me when I became successful."

MARTIAL ART

Zou's parents enrolled him in a school where he practised the gymnastic martial art of Wushu, but he began training on the sly with the school's boxing team.

"I realised boxing was my calling, but I was rewarded from Wushu in that I was able to combine its techniques with boxing to create a Chinese boxing style, not like the European and American styles that emphasise strength and power," Zou said.

Zou has little fear of Western opponents and says his toughest bouts inevitably come from Asia.

"It won't be easy to win at this Asian Games ... Asian boxers are all familiar with the skills and techniques of each other. They have studied my technique and my style a lot."

Unlike many Chinese Olympic champions, Zou's boxing has not brought endorsement riches or major celebrity. He still makes most of his money from the state, like the majority of athletes yoked to the country's Soviet-style sports system.

Despite the lure of big-money bouts, Zou has put off launching a professional career, at least until after the 2012 London Olympics where he intends to defend his title.

"The good thing is London will have less pressure for me, not like at the 2008 home Games where I felt great pressure around me," he said.

Few of his now grown-up childhood tormentors would want to step in the ring with Zou, who makes up for a short reach with nimble footwork and lightning-quick combinations. Zou has one opponent who wins all the time, however.

"In my family, my fiancee is the most powerful," he said.

[GeneChing]

Saturday November 20, 2010
Chai hopes for golden career in movies (http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/11/20/nation/7466374&sec=nation)
By MARTIN CARVALHO

MALACCA: Having clinched many gold medals in the sports arena, wushu exponent Chai Fong Ying hopes to also fight her way to a gold in another competitive field – the silver screen.

When she decides to call it a day from participating in wushu tournaments, the petite 24-year-old Asian Games gold medallist will be ready to accept offers to act in action movies, just like her idol Datuk Michelle Yeoh.

Earlier, during her meeting with Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam at his office, Chai drew laughter from him when she requested a house as a reward for her achievements.

She is mindful the career of an international wushu exponent lasts only a few years.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2010/11/20/nation/mainchai.JPG
Ready to leap into the movie world: Malaysia's Chai Fong Ying in action women's Taijiquan finals at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou - GLENN GUAN/The Star

“I will appreciate it very much if the state can reward me with a house,” she said.

An amused Mohd Ali quipped that the request was surely one prompted by her 45-year-old mother Teh Mary who was also present.

Chai, who is pursuing an accountancy degree with Universiti Putra Malaysia, said she hoped to obtain her degree in due time as her studies had to take a backseat for wushu practice and competitions.

Chai won Malaysia’s first gold medal in the women’s combined taijijian and taijiquan event at the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou on Monday, defending the gold she won in the Doha Asian Games four years ago.

In 2007, she became the first Malaysian woman exponent to win a gold in the taijijian in the 24th SEA Games in Thailand.

She was also the only Malaysian gold medallist in the Wushu World Championships in Beijing the same year.

As for her immediate goals, Chai said she was aiming to “wushu” her way to more golds for the country in the World Wushu Championship in Turkey and Asean Games.

Both the events are scheduled for next year.

Mohd Ali said the state would consider Chai’s request for a home via the newly formed Malacca Sports Institute. A decision is expected to be announced early next year.

“We will make clear guidelines on specific rewards and incentives for outstanding athletes, including the considering rewarding Fong Ying with a new house,” he said.

He earlier presented Chai with a RM3,000 cheque and assured her employment with the state upon her graduation.
A movie career and a house? Wushu champions command more respect elsewhere for sure.

[sanjuro_ronin]

She's a cutie :D

[GeneChing]

Saturday November 27, 2010
MCA pledge RM200,000 to wushu for Asiad success (http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2010/11/27/asiangames/7513461&sec=asiangames)
By SHAUN HO

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek pledged RM200,000 to the Wushu Federation of Malaysia as a recogntion of their achievements in the Guangzhou Asian Games.

Chua said the federation were very motivated and organised, and that they should be provided with any resources they needed.

“My deputy has said there will be no problem in seeking sponsors to raise that amount,” he said during a dinner he hosted to honour the national wushu team yesterday.

Chua also promised a RM30,000 cash prize to wushu gold medallist Chai Fong Ying and RM10,000 to bronze medallist Tai Cheau Xuen. Chua’s deputy, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, said MCA was glad to assist the federation as wushu was not a heavily sponsored sport.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2010/11/27/asiangames/p76-mca.JPG
Well done: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek (centre) congratulating wushu’s Asian Games gold and bronze medallists, Chai Fong Ying (second from left) and Tai Cheau Xuen, at an appreciation dinner yesterday. Looking on are MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (right) and Wushu Federation of Malaysia president Datuk Seri Kee Yong Wee.

“We are pleased with their achievements and we are here to help,” said Liow.

Also present at the dinner were Wushu Federation of Malaysia president Datuk Seri Kee Yong Wee and other MCA leaders.

Kee said the federation hoped wushu could be promoted to all.

“Although Malaysia did not win any medals in the last Olympic Games, our first medal in the next Games may come from wushu,” he said.
I've heard word that there are more renovations coming to wushu rules, especially for how team competition is scored. Sounds like it will reverse the pairings (quan/dao & jian/qiang) somehow. We'll report more when we get some hard facts.

[GeneChing]

Thursday, December 02, 2010
Iranian Cleric: Female Athletes Should Not Compete Abroad (http://www.rferl.org/content/article/2237033.html)
http://gdb.rferl.org/542C3DCD-6CE2-4DEC-B935-9C00A490388C_w527_s.jpg
Khadijeh Azadpour, who won the gold medal in Women's Wushu at the 16th Asian Games.

Khadijeh Azadpour, who won the gold medal in Women's Wushu at the 16th Asian Games.
December 02, 2010
An eminent Iranian cleric has said female athletes should not compete in sporting events abroad -- days after the Islamic Republic sent its biggest female contingent in recent years to the Asian Games, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reports.

Grand Ayatollah Safi Golpayegani said on November 30 that sending Iranian female athletes to international events is a "disgrace" and should not be allowed.

His comments come after Iran sent 88 sportswomen to China to take part in last month's 2010 Asian Games -- the biggest contingent since the 1979 Revolution. More than a dozen won medals, including Khadijeh Azadpour, who won a gold medal in the women's Wushu competition.

Golpayegani, 91, a Shi'ite source of emulation in the holy city of Qom, is not the first conservative cleric to deplore the participation of female Iranian athletes in foreign competitions.

Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday Prayer leader in Mashhad, argued in 2008 that sending Iranian sportswomen to the Beijing Olympic Games and choosing a female rower, Homa Hossein, to carry the Iranian flag at the opening ceremony constituted "waging war on Islamic values."

Denmark-based sports analyst Mehdi Rostampour told Radio Farda that the authorities are concerned by the Iranian women's success in the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou.

Ayatollah Abbas Kabi, a member of the Society of Qom Seminary Teachers, criticized Iranian state television for showing women competing in the event. He said it was "deplorable" and "bizarre."

Analyst Rostampour added that the authorities are worried that they will no longer be able to prevent female Iranian athletes from participating in international events: "They want to uproot this young plant before it grows."
Reminds me of Shadya - PBS Independent Lens (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53469) - this was one of the best martial arts documentaries of 2009.

[GeneChing]

...at least they like wushu in Pakistan

Football ignored as hockey, wushu return to National Games
Agencies (http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/03/football-ignored-as-hockey-and-wushu-return-to-national-games.html)
(4 hours ago) Today

http://www.dawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ijazwushu4_newin.jpg
Pakistan's Ahmed Ijaz won a Wushu silver medal at last month's Asian Games in China. —Reuters Photo

LAHORE: The Pakistan Olympic Association, on Friday, announced the inclusion of hockey and wushu in the program for the upcoming National Games.

In a hurriedly called meeting, POA President Syed Arif Hasan said the decision was taken after considering the national hockey team’s gold-medal winning performance at the Asian Games and Pakistan’s medal success in Wushu.

Football, however, was unable to find its way back into the Games despite the game’s popularity and earlier reassurances given by officials.

“We have decided that 19 disciplines will now be part of the 31st National Games, after the inclusion of hockey and wushu,” Hasan told reporters after the meeting.

Meanwhile, Sports Minister for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Syed Aqil Shah outlined the security arrangements for the Games, which will be held in the provincial capital Peshawar.

“He (Shah) has assured us that all law enforcing agencies will be working together to ensure the smooth conduct of the games in Peshawar,” the POA President said.

Hasan said the POA has constituted a three-member evaluation committee, which will monitor the daily progress of security measures being taken for and during the Games.

[SteveLau]

Yesterday, the city local Legislative Council voted 40 vs 14 against applying to host the 2023 Asian Games. So Hong Kong not going to host the Games is now a fact. Period. I am glad of the outcome despite the government has tried in some degrees to impose hosting the Games. Forcing ourselves to do things that we are not quite capable of will unlikely yield expected good result.



Regards,

KC
Hong Kong

[GeneChing]

Didn't really follow it this year. But this story caught my attention.


Malaysian wushu winner stripped of Incheon 2014 gold medal after positive drugs test (http://www.insidethegames.biz/major-games/asian-games/incheon-2014/1022932-malaysian-wushu-winner-stripped-of-incheon-2014-gold-medal-after-positive-drugs-test)
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
By Nick Butler at the Main Media Centre in Incheon

http://www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Malaysia_with_gold_now_expected_to_goIndonesias_si lver_medalist_Juwita_Niza_Wasni.jpg
Malaysia's Tai Cheau Xuen has been stipped of her wushu title after a failed drugs test, with gold now expected to go to Indonesia's Juwita Niza Wasni ©AFP/Getty

Wushu player Tai Cheau Xuen has been stripped of her Asian Games gold medal after testing positive for banned drugs, although the Malaysian team are appealing the decision, claiming there were problems with the handling of the athlete's sample.

Earlier today, the 22-year-old became the third athlete to fail a drugs test at the Games, but the first medallist.

She tested positive for the banned stimulant sibutramine, leading to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) taking away the gold medal she had won in the nanquan and nandao all-round event.

In a statement this afternoon, OCA director general Husain Al Musallam confirmed that a urine sample collected during post-competition testing on Saturday September 20 showed traces of the substance, which is banned in the 2014 WADA Prohibited List.

She has consequently been disqualified from the Games, with her accreditation cancelled, while the findings will be forwarded to the International Wushu Federation and the Wushu Federation of Asia, as well as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), for further action.

This means Indonesia's Juwita Niza Wasni, the runner-up behind Tai, will be promoted to gold.

Third-placed Wei Hong of China will take silver with Ivana Ardelian Irmanto, also of Indonesia, upgraded from fourth to the bronze medal position.

http://www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Cheau_Xuen_Tai_of_Malaysia_performs_during_the_nan quan_section_of_the_competition_last_Saturday_Sept ember_20.jpg
Cheau Xuen Tai of Malaysia performs during the nanquan section of the competition last Saturday (September 20) ©AFP/Getty Images

But in a strongly worded statement, Malaysia's Minister of Sport Khairy Jamaluddin has questioned "strange and suspicious" elements of the chain of custody in the handling of the urine sample when the test was taken.

They will appeal the decision to the Ad Hoc Committee of the Court of Arbitration for Sport here in Incheon.

Writing on Facebook, Jamaluddin queried why it had taken an alleged 16 hours for Tai's sample to reach the Doping Control Command Centre and raised concerns over the apparent "lameness of the chain of custody".

"We do not have any reason to question the validity of the sampling or analysis regarding the KIST (Institute of Science and Korea Technology), but the question was about the lameness [of the] CoC (Chain of Custody) process that should not be answered by that panel," he said.

"With such things, we need a decision challenging the Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) against Cheau Xuen perceived that there were doubts over integrity [of the] CoC process.

"During our aggressive fight against drug use among athletes, we also need to ensure that the process is conducted with integrity [of the] CoC because every athlete is entitled to fair and equitable treatment.

"This is also to ensure that there is no dispute or doubt on the anti-doping process."

http://www.insidethegames.biz/images/2014/09/Incheon_2014/Malaysian_Sports_Minister_Khairy_Jamaluddin_has_re vealed_that_they_will_appeal_the_decision_to_the_C ourt_of_Arbitration_for_Sport.jpg
Malaysian Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has revealed that they will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport ©Facebook

Tai, who also won a gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar last December, follows Tajikistan footballer Khurshed Beknazarov and Cambodian soft tennis player Yi Sophany to register fail tests here.

But, unlike the other two, the announcement of her result was delayed because Tai had requested that the B-sample was tested to confirm the findings of the original analysis.

All three testing positive for stimulants, and both Sophany and Tai Cheau Xuen for sibutramine.

The drug, originally developed and marketed by Knoll Pharmaceuticals and most recently manufactured and marketed by Abbott Laboratories, is often found in diet and slimming pills but has been withdrawn from the markets after links were found with cardiovascular problems.

It was sold under a variety of brand names, including Reductil, Meridia and Sibutrex.

The highest profile case in sports involving sibutramine came when in 2010 when footballer Adrian Mutu tested positive for the drug, with the Romania and Fiorentina striker given a nine-month ban but only serving six months of it.

Under the WADA code, the substance is listed as a specified stimulant, which means it carries a maximum two-year ban with the possibility of a reduced sentence if the athlete can prove they took the substance inadvertently.

But, whatever the eventual punishment, the news is a major blow for Malaysia, who have now lost one of only three gold medals they have won at the Games, along with two in women's squash events.

Tai's victory, coming the day after the Opening Ceremony, was also greeted ecstatically back home, with Malaysian Prime Minister Mohd Najib Tun Razak among those to tweet his congratulations.

This is the first time an Asian Games gold medallist has been stripped of their award since Hiroshima 1994.

Then, 11 members of the Chinese swimming and cycling teams, winners of a total of 15 titles between them, were disqualified after failing tests for Dihydrotestosterone, a steroid.

Today's case is also the first positive case at an Asian Games in wushu, a martial art which made its Asian Games debut at Beijing 1990.

Contact the writer of this story at nick.butler@insidethegames.biz

[GeneChing]

I confess that this controversy has renewed my interest in the Asian Games.


SPORTS
Malaysia’s wushu gold medallist denies wrongdoing as track, medal, doping rows dog Asian Games (http://www.themalaymailonline.com/sports/article/malaysias-wushu-gold-medallist-denies-wrongdoing-as-track-medal-doping-rows)
OCTOBER 1, 2014

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/images/sized/ez/Tai_Cheau_Xuen_wushu_20140920_840_619_100.jpg
Tai Cheau Xuen of Malaysia performs during the wushu women’s nanquan final at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon on September 20, 2014. — AFP pic

INCHEON, Oct 1 — All three top finishers in the men’s 800 metres final were disqualified and an aggrieved Indian boxer turned down her bronze medal as disputes flared at the Asian Games today.

Malaysia also refused to return a gold medal over a failed drugs test, and a Syrian karate competitor became the fifth athlete caught doping in a day of discord at Asia’s Olympics.

North Korea stunned world champions Japan 3-1 to win the women’s football final, avenging their tight loss in the title match four years ago.

Indian women’s boxing icon Mary Kom was a big winner as she won a split decision in the flyweight final to claim her first Asian Games gold, buoying her hopes for the 2016 Olympics.

Qatar’s Femi Ogunode completed a sprint double when he won the 200 metres in a Games record 20.14sec, to add to his new Asian mark of 9.93sec in the 100m.

But controversy broke out in the men’s 800m when Abdulaziz Mohammed, Musaab Bala and Abraham Kipchirchir Rotich, who finished one, two and three, were all disqualified.

Team officials protested after Saudi Mohammed was disqualified for obstruction and Qatar’s Bala and Rotich of Bahrain were penalised for breaking lane regulations.

Adnan Taess Akkar, 34, who crossed the line fourth, stepped onto the podium all smiles to collect Iraq’s first gold of the Games.

“The athletes from Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia were very worthy opponents, but they made mistakes and those mistakes were against the rules,” Akkar said.

The drama comes just days after Bahrain’s Ruth Jebet was stripped of her steeplechase win as she was about to step onto the victory podium, only to be reinstated the next day.

India rejoiced as Kom finally got an Asian Games gold. But the spotlight fell on Indian team-mate Sarita Devi, who rejected her lightweight bronze in an angry protest against judging standards.

Devi, who was controversially judged beaten by South Korea’s Park Ji-Na in the semi-finals, walked to the podium in tears. After refusing to let officials put the medal around her neck, she walked over to Park and, as the South Korean fighter bowed in greeting, she placed the bronze medal around her neck.

“I said, ‘This is for you and all Korea, because you only deserve a bronze,’” Devi told AFP.

“It was a protest for all the sportsmen and women of the world against injustice in sport. There should be fair play in sport.”

Doping net

“If she wanted to refuse the medal she should have not come to the ceremony,” said a spokesman for the Incheon Asian Games Organising committee, who added that the snubbed officials had been “offended.”

Syria’s karate fighter Nour-Aldin al-Kurdi, 19, became the fifth athlete snared in the doping net when he tested positive for clenbuterol.

But Malaysia lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport and refused to hand back a gold medal after wushu winner Tai Cheau Xuen failed a drugs test.

According to reports, the Malaysian delegation believes Tai’s sample may have been accidentally switched with another athlete’s.

“I am convinced Tai did nothing wrong. She strongly denied knowingly taking any illegal drugs or substances,” said Ramlan Aziz, National Sports Institute director-general.

Swim star Joseph Schooling was facing an investigation by Singaporean authorities over an allegedly boozy night out as he celebrated his gold medal success.

As Afghanistan’s men’s cricketers reached the semi-finals with victory over Nepal, the war-torn country’s head of the sport invited top nations to tour.

“I am telling the players to come to my country and play there, they will treasure those memories for ever,” Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Shahzada Masoud told AFP.

Shi Tingmao won the women’s 1m springboard and He Chao took out the men’s equivalent as China progressed to six diving medals, four away from a perfect 10.

Rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-Jae failed to inspire South Korea to team gold, but Asia’s leading exponent remained favourite for the individual title tomorrow.

And South Korea’s women edged China 1-0 to take the field hockey gold. China reached 131 golds overall, ahead of 62 for South Korea. — AFP

[bawang]

lol@ taking steroids for wushu

lol
























lol

[GeneChing]

Malaysia's Tai Cheau Xuen loses appeal to have doping ban overturned (http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/10/02/games-asian-doping-idINKCN0HR0UR20141002)
INCHEON South Korea Thu Oct 2, 2014 3:22pm IST

(Reuters) - Malaysia's Tai Cheau Xuen, who was expelled from the Asian Games and stripped of the gold medal she won in martial arts after failing a doping test, has lost her appeal to be reinstated.

The Court of Arbitration announced on Wednesday that it had dismissed the application to overturn the ban and the penalties would stand.

(Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

Bummer for Malaysia.


On athletes and herbal supplements – The Tired Eye (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/on-athletes-and-herbal-supplements-the-tired-eye)

Published: 7 October 2014

The news that Malaysian wushu exponent Tai Cheau Xuen failed a drugs test at the Asian Games came as a big blow to the nation. Not only did Tai – who bagged our first gold at the games – have the medal and placing withdrawn, but it also put Malaysian sports in a bad light.

This incident also came quickly after news of our other athletes failing their drugs test – Sukma weightlifter and gold medallist Jelinie Empera, Federal Territories cyclist Dhia Danial Kharil and Perlis weightlifter Siti Fazera Ishak.

In Tai’s case, tests reportedly found traces of sibutramine, which is widely used to control weight gain. Yet, the very same ingredient is banned in developed countries because it can cause strokes.

As for Jelinie, the Sarawakian reportedly tested positive for anabolic steroids.

In both cases, the athletes denied deliberately ingesting the drugs but did indicate that they were taking traditional or herbal supplements.

And this is where the problem lies. First of all, it is hard to prove that one had unknowingly ingested a banned substance. Then, there is that lack of awareness towards the possible consequences of taking herbal supplements.

Being Asians, we have a long standing relationship with herbs, herbal remedies and supplements. Many of us have grown up with the notion that because herbs are plants, and plants are natural, herbal remedies and supplements are safe.

We take herbal soups, drinks and raw mixes of roots, leaves, fruits and plants in powder or tablet form because some of our elders say that these are good for health, help with general well-being and are of course, natural.

Of course, some of these herbal supplements and remedies undoubtedly make us feel better.

Plants have been used to treat ailments over centuries. Science has shown that plants themselves contain many different types of chemicals – some useful, others potentially harmful.

It has been reported that 25% of modern medicine being prescribed today contain ingredients that are plant based.

Let us take for example steroids. According to a friend who works in the medical line, steroids come in many forms, and some forms of steroids can also be found in fungi, animals and plants.

Steroids are controlled chemicals and different types of steroids are used in treating conditions that range from late puberty, to allergies and muscle loss.

In an article titled “Natural Steroid Plants”, Livestrong.com explains different types of steroids found in herbs that are used by cancer patients for pain relief and to counter muscle deterioration.

Without proper laboratory tests, there is no telling what some herbal remedies or supplements prepared from plants may contain.

Because of the belief that herbs are natural and safe, many people have the notion that the more they consume, the better; without realising the damage that they could cause to their bodies.

The research on chemical elements found in herbs that are useful and even harmful to humans is still being carried out all over the world, and as with most research, the journey is long and daunting, with many experiments and verifications to be made.

On the other hand, let us not forget that there are unscrupulous manufacturers of herbal supplements who are out to make a quick buck. Let us take Tai’s case as an example.

Tai had indicated that as an athlete, she was taking herbal supplements to help her manage her weight, which again, most of us Malaysians think is the ‘safe’ thing to do.

But if we took the time to dig further, we would find that there have been many cases where manufacturers of herbal supplements adulterate their products to make them seem effective by adding on additional chemicals, just so that people will keep buying and even promoting their supposedly natural herbal supplements.

In May 2011, the European Union imposed stringent controls and bans on many herbal remedies and supplements for safety reasons. In EU countries, herbal supplements are regulated as pharmaceutical drugs.

Because of these stringent controls in developed countries, many of these products find their way to our shores. We are bombarded with advertisements of such products online, and even over social networks.

Perhaps it is time that Malaysia too raised the bar on its enforcement on the influx of banned or unverified and untested supplements in the market. More importantly, there is a necessity for better education for athletes, their families, coaches and even sports authorities towards needing to be careful in the supplements that they take.

This initiative to educate is especially urgent in Malaysia where unregulated herbal supplements are found being sold cheaply and in abundance, even in coffee-shops! – The Borneo Post, October 7, 2014.

*The Tired Eye is a columnist at The Borneo Post.

*This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

[GeneChing]

No more wushu romp by Chinese in Asiad (http://sports.inquirer.net/168855/no-more-wushu-romp-by-chinese-in-asiad)
2:43 AM | Thursday, November 27th, 2014

China will no longer dominate the wushu competitions of the Asian Games.

Wushu top official Julian Camacho said the Wushu Federation of Asia has trimmed down the number of events where China can participate in future editions of the continental meet.

Camacho, secretary general of the Wushu Federation of the Philippines, said the Asian federation has now limited China to winning just 60 percent of the medals at stake.

“It’s a welcome development. It will give other countries the chance to win more medals, especially the Philippines,” said Camacho.

The Philippines finished with two silver medals and one bronze in the Incheon Asian Games with the gold medals in those events all won by China.


The Olympics adopts a similar strategy with Korea and TKD (http://www.martialartsmart.com/tae-kwon-do-styles.html).

[SifuYui]

If you can't beat them, regulate them.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

[GeneChing]

A slap on the wrist, especially as it's the off season.


Four-Month Doping Ban For Malaysian Wushu Athlete (http://www.malaysiandigest.com/sports/532286-four-month-doping-ban-for-malaysian-wushu-athlete.html)
Details Published on Thursday, 11 December 2014 14:59

http://328744392.r.worldcdn.net/images/stories/new/Arief/Four-Month_Doping_Ban_For_Malaysian_Wushu_Athlete.jpg
Photo: NSTWushu's international governing body has banned Malaysia's Tai Cheau Xuen from competition for four months over a positive doping test at the recent Asian Games, the Wushu Federation of Malaysia said on Thursday.

Tai, who was stripped of the Asian Games gold medal she won in September, has been banned until March 20, 2015, after the banned stimulant sibutramine was found in her system following the competition in Incheon, South Korea, the federation said.

Tai has returned her gold medal.

Tai, 24, was tested after winning the Chinese martial art's women's nanquan and nandao all-round event on September 20, Malaysia's first gold medal of the Games.

The Malaysian governing body said it was informed of the ban in a letter received last week from the International Wushu Federation.

The Malaysia federation insisted Tai unwittingly ingested sibutramine via health supplements and a slimming product.

The head of the Wushu Federation of Malaysia at the time, Martin Lim, resigned to take responsibility for the doping scandal.

[GeneChing]

Jiujitsu added to 2018 Asian Games (http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=174284)
Updated: 2015-01-12 03:44:15 KST

Now one of the fastest growing sport in the world is mixed martial arts. And if you are a mixed martial artist, one of the techniques you should learn is jiu-jitsu. So naturally, the popularity of jiu-jitsu is also rising throughout the world. So much so,.. the martial art will be added to the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
Now according to a report from the North European Brazilian Jiu-jitsu website,.. the martial art will most likely be added to the Asian Games for the first time ever, come 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. However, despite Brazilian jiu-jitsu being the more popular variation of the sport, European jiu-jitsu will be added to the Asian Games. And while, there are some differences between the two, mixed martial arts fans are getting excited,.. as they hope this will be a first step towards making mixed martial arts an Olympic sport, as well.

And that wraps it up for me. This has been SJ. Have a great rest of the day, and see you guys again, for your sports needs
Reporter : seungjae86@gmail.com
Not confirmed by the Asian Games themselves yet, but we have a few years...

[GeneChing]

Tuesday, 2 February 2016 | MYT 9:50 PM
Coach cool about wushu snub from Podium Programme (http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/other-sport/2016/02/02/coach-cool-wushu-snub/)
BY LIM TEIK HUAT

http://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2016/02/02/13/12/dcx_doc6lu06a45spi44p7hblc.ashx/?w=620&h=413&crop=1&hash=403EF9C840BA01F04D072DEB05AA733371489B92

KUALA LUMPUR: Despite being a consistent medal contributor at the Asian Games and World Championships, wushu is surprisingly excluded from the Podium Programme.

While other non-Olympic sports like sepaktakraw and bowling have athletes placed under the programme, wushu head coach Lim Yew Fai is not disheartened by the omission.

The programme is to produce athletes to win medals at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics.

“I always look at things from the positive side. Maybe we will be considered later ... or maybe they want to see how we perform at the 2017 SEA Games. We’ll wait and see.

“We will continue with our own programme. In fact, we have just started a back-up squad programme. Former world junior champion exponent Koo Chee Zhong is now coaching the back-up squad,” said Yew Fai.

At last year’s World Wushu Championships in Jakarta, Malaysia won three golds, four silvers and four bronzes.

In the Asian Games, wushu contributed one gold in Busan (2002), Doha (2006) and Guangzhou (2010).
Then again, if this program me is for the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics, wushu isn't in the Commonwealth Games and Olympics. Neither is sepaktakraw and bowling, so maybe Malaysia just hates wushu. :o

[GeneChing]

This is really the fault of the TCM doctor. That's so sloppy and it almost cost Lin the medal. What an ignorant TCM doc.


Hong Kong fencer Coco Lin apologises after traditional Chinese medicine nearly ruins her Asian Games dream (http://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2152094/hong-kong-fencer-coco-lin-apologises-after-traditional-chinese?edition=international)
The 23-year-old receives only a reprimand despite a positive test as Hong Kong take silver in the women’s épée at the Asian Championships
PUBLISHED : Friday, 22 June, 2018, 8:20pm
UPDATED : Friday, 22 June, 2018, 10:47pm
Chan Kin-wa

https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/980x551/public/images/methode/2018/06/22/208075c4-7615-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_1280x720_202043.png?itok=BEGYIksy

Upcoming fencer Coco Lin Yik-hei has apologised after a doping incident almost ruined her dream of competing in the Asian Games in Indonesia this summer.

Lin was part of the Hong Kong women’s team that took silver after losing a nail-biter to China 35-34 in the final of the women’s épée at the Asian Fencing Championships in Bangkok on Friday night.

After spraining her right ankle in April, Lin enlisted the services of a bonesetter to accelerate her recovery, a move that proved more negative than positive.

Lin was given traditional Chinese medication by the bonesetter and a doping test two days later turned up a banned substance.

The 23-year-old, a scholarship athlete at the Sports Institute where fencing is a tier A programme, posted on social media this week that she had been temporarily suspended for two weeks by the Hong Kong Anti-Doping Committee leading up to the tournament in Bangkok.

Her name was also removed from the 2018 Asian Games squad after the Hong Kong Fencing Association had confirmed the list.

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/22/ac2c98b8-75d0-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_1320x770_202043.jpg
Chu Ka-mong (left), Kaylin Hsieh, Vivian Kong and Coco Lin. Photo: Handout

She was asked to provide an adequate explanation or face a two-year suspension when she was informed of the test results early this month.

After a hearing, Lin received only a reprimand allowing her to compete in this week’s regional championships.

“I am a professional athlete and must take responsibility for the drugs I have taken,” Lin said. “It’s my own negligence that has affected not only my career but also the image of Hong Kong athletes.

“I have grown up quite a bit the past month, learnt to take the greatest caution with all medications that I put inside my body, and to stay strong in difficult situations.

“Thank you for all the love, care and support over the past two weeks from the fencing association, sports institute, my family, friends, teammates, coaches and the media. I’m deeply sorry for all the confusion caused for all parties at such a critical moment.”

The Hong Kong women’s épée team also features Vivian Kong Man-wai, the individual champion in Bangkok, and bronze medallist Kaylin Hsieh Sin-yan, who knocked Lin out of the competition in the quarter-finals. Lin’s top-eight result was her best finish in five appearances at the Asian Championships.

https://cdn1.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/06/22/7ca99706-7613-11e8-aa4d-d2a0e82fc143_1320x770_202043.JPG
Cheung Siu-lun (right) on the attack against Ryan Choi at the President’s Cup in Hong Kong. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Friday night’s result was Hong Kong’s second silver of the week after the men’s foil team lost to South Korea in the final.

But gold medals from Cheung Siu-lun and Kong, in the men’s individual foil and women’s individual épée, respectively, ensured Hong Kong’s best result in the regional event and gave them a strong boost before the Asian Games this summer.

Why is the Asian fencing champion missing the Asian Games? Hongkonger only has himself to blame

The women’s team’s épée silver was also their best performance in the event, with Hong Kong taking bronze in every tournament since 2001.

Kong, the individual champion, was in superb form and matched the class of her mainland counterparts, with China headed by Olympic bronze medallist and world number two Sun Yiwen.

China went in as favourites and were in control of the game until Hsieh closed the gap to 29-27 in the second last session.

Kong gave her all in the final three-minute session but her opponent managed to hold on for a tight victory.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Fencer Lin apologises for doping incident



THREADS:
TCM Fails (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69777-TCM-Fails)
Asian Games (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58907-Asian-Games)
Fencing (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?9851-Fencing)

[GeneChing]

Erfan Ahangarian understands true sanda.


Asian Games: Iranian Wushu Player Displays Sportsmanship, Wins Hearts (https://sports.ndtv.com/asian-games-2018/asian-games-2018-iranian-wushu-athlete-displays-sportsmanship-wins-hearts-1905041)
Updated: 23 August 2018 16:26 IST
The incident occurred during the wushu Sanda-60Kg category semi-finals between Bhanu Partap Singh and Irans Erfan Ahangarian.
Written by Joy Tirkey
Read Time : 2-Min

https://c.ndtvimg.com/8cgj5688_surya-singh-wushu-iran-player-twitter_625x300_23_August_18.jpg
Iran's Wushu player displayed sportsmanship by helping India's injured Surya Singh
© Twitter

India's Surya Bhanu Partap Singh took home a wushu bronze after losing his men's Sanda-60kg semi-finals bout to Iran's Erfan Ahangarian at the Asian Games 2018. Though the Indian could not advance further, the 21-year-old Erfan's show of sportsmanship made the loss a little less hurtful. In the semi-finals against Erfan, the Indian got injured midway through the bout and could not give his 100 percent in the match. However, Bhanu continued the match and was defeated by his Iranian opponent 2-0. At the end of the match, Erfan carried injured Bhanu Partap, who was limping, off the ring.

Apart from Bhanu, India won three more wushu bronze medals, making this India's best wushu performance, in terms of a number of medals won, in the Asian Games.

Roshibina Devi (women's 60kg), Santosh Kumar (men's 56kg) Surya Bhanu Partap (men's 60kg) and Narender Grewal (men's 65kg) lost their respective semi-final Sanda bouts but took home bronze medals.


The previous best wushu performance was a silver and a bronze in the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

While India ended Day 4 of the Asiad with four bronze medals in wushu, shooter Rani Sarnobat beat all expectations to become India's first woman shooter with an Asian Games gold in women's 25-metre pistol event, earlier in the day. Rahi Sarnobat shot a total of 34 to claim the top honours.

Teenage star Manu Bhaker, who had qualified for the 25-metre event with a qualification games record score of 593, could not emulate her feat in the final as she finished sixth.

[GeneChing]

Asian Games: Hong Kong fencer proposes to girlfriend after winning bronze; teammate cries after messing up the music
(https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2161107/asian-games-hong-kong-fencer-proposes-girlfriend-after-winning)

https://cdn2.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/980x551/public/images/methode/2018/08/24/1ae229f0-a770-11e8-851a-8c4276191601_1280x720_154127.jpg?itok=3ZL_3YTC
The 31-year-old gets down on his knees at the Jakarta Convention Centre in front of media and fans and Nicole says ‘yes’

PUBLISHED : Friday, 24 August, 2018, 9:52am
UPDATED : Friday, 24 August, 2018, 3:41pm
Nazvi Careem

He may have won bronze on the piste but there was gold in love for Hong Kong fencer Antonio Lam Hin-chung when he got down on bended knee and proposed to his girlfriend, Nicole, in front of delighted media, officials and fans in Jakarta.

Asian Games volunteers helped the 31-year-old Lam collect 99 roses that they made into a bouquet and as soon as the medal ceremony for the men’s team sabre competition ended, Lam proposed to Nicole – who had flown to Jakarta to watch her boyfriend of eight years compete.

Of course, she said “yes” and Lam is now looking forward to the next phase in his life.

“I am now double happy,” said Lam, who is expected to retire from competing and take up coaching. “There are many coaches in fencing but there are also many high-level athletes and I want to stay in the sport and help develop more fencers in Hong Kong.”

Nicole said she knew she would be marrying a man who is dedicated to his sport and respects whatever decision he makes.

“I know he can’t be separated from fencing and I know he wants to teach future fencers so I will support him.”

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/08/24/bb705548-a74a-11e8-851a-8c4276191601_1320x770_154127.jpg
Terence Lee crying and being consoled by a teammate. Photo: handout

While there may have been tears of joy for the couple and possibly those watching, there were tears of another kind from Lam’s teammate Terence Lee Chak-fung, who was supposed to cue the love song A Little Happiness (“Little Lucky”) by Taiwanese singer Hebe Tian to create an appropriate atmosphere at the Jakarta Convention Centre.

Apparently, Lee was a bit hasty and started the music early, spoiling the moment. He found it difficult to forgive himself and burst into tears as the couple posed for pictures.

Chinese media showed Lam and Nicole sharing a kiss with Lee inconsolable just behind them clutching his Asian Games stuffed mascot.

“I really messed it up because I put the music on too early. I had one thing to do and couldn’t do that properly,” Lee was quoted as saying.

Lam started fencing in 2000 after being encouraged by his father. At the 2014 Incheon Games, he became the first Hong Kong fencer to win a medal in the men’s individual sabre when he took bronze.

His sister, Lam Hin-wai, also represented Hong Kong in Incheon, winning a bronze in the women’s team sabre competition. She is part of the 2018 Asian Games team as well.

Lam is a Hong Kong Sports Institute athlete and also manages a fencing hall.



THREADS: Asian Games (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58907-Asian-Games) & Fencing (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?9851-Fencing)

[GeneChing]

Does anyone know if Pencak Silat is represented in any other major international games beyond the Asians?


27 August 2018 - 17H40
Malaysian athlete alleges bias after heated martial arts battle (https://www.france24.com/en/20180827-malaysian-athlete-alleges-bias-after-heated-martial-arts-battle)

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© AFP/File | Malaysia's Mohd Al-Jufferi Jamari, the 2016 world champion, stormed out the arena and punched a hole in the wall of the warm-up area

JAKARTA (AFP) -
A Malaysian athlete accused judges of bias and stormed out of a tumultuous match of the Indonesian martial art pencak silat at the Asian Games in Jakarta on Monday.

Mohd Al-Jufferi Jamari, the 2016 world champion, withdrew in protest seconds before the end of the final and punched a hole in the wall of the warm-up area, as Indonesia's Komang Harik Adi Putra bagged gold in the heated contest.

"I'm not mad at my opponent nor the supporters, but I'm mad because the jury didn't give the point fairly," 26-year-old Al-Jufferi said, according to the Games' official website.

Al-Jufferi dominated the early part of the men's 65-70kg final but 23-year-old Komang came back strongly.

Komang eventually clinched the match 4-1 and Al-Jufferi's coach was left trying to calm down the Malaysian, who pulled out two seconds before the finish.

Harry Warganegara, of Inasgoc, the Games organising committee, told AFP Al-Jufferi was unlikely to be sanctioned.

"We think it was very unfortunate though we try to understand (what the athlete was going through)," he said.

"But I don't think there will be any sanctions."

Nazif Najib, secretary general of Malaysia's National Olympic Committee (NOC), said he was waiting for the report from Inasgoc but agreed it was unlikely he would be punished.

"We think it was an athlete's response, he was emotional so no sanctions," he told AFP.

Komang's medal was one of eight golds for Indonesia in pencak silat at this year's Asiad.

The term pencak silat describes hundreds of indigenous combat styles in Southeast Asia, with fighters wielding an array of weapons such as knives, sickles and machetes.

THREADS
Asian Games (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58907-Asian-Games)
Silat (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?2737-Silat)

[GeneChing]

Interesting to see more reports on sanda than taolu so far...


Asiad 2018: Indian Team Guaranteed Four Medals in Chinese Kung-Fu (http://www.indiawest.com/sports/asiad-indian-team-guaranteed-four-medals-in-chinese-kung-fu/article_f00ca036-a574-11e8-a4aa-e7f453c19359.html)
IANS Aug 21, 2018

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Indonesia's Abdul Haris Sofyan (red) fights against India's Surya Bhanu Partap Singh during the men's sanda 60 kg preliminaries of the wushu event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on Aug. 20. (Arief Bagus/AFP/Getty Images)

JAKARTA — India's Naorem Roshibina Devi, Santosh Kumar, Surya Bhanu Pratap Singh and Narender Grewal assured themselves of a medal each after advancing to the semi-finals of their respective categories in the wushu – Chinese kung-fu – competition at the 18th Asian Games here Aug. 21.

This is the best ever performance by India in wushu at the Asiad.

Naorem defeated Mubashra of Pakistan 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the women's sanda 60 kilogram category. This was the first medal for India in wushu at this year's Asian Games.

Naorem will take on Cai Yingying of China in the semi-finals. The loser will have to be content with a bronze medal.

Cai had defeated Kurniati Mei Yulianengsih of Indonesia 2-0 in the quarter-finals.

Later, Santosh edged out Phitak Paokrathok of Thailand 2-1 in the last eight stage of the men's sanda 56kg division.

Santosh will take on Bui Truong Giang of China in the semi-finals. He had started his campaign with a 2-0 win over Vietnam's Linn Thu Rain, and went on to defeat Zaid Ali Wazea of Yemen by a similar scoreline in the pre-quarterfinals.

Surya defeated Jean Claude Saclag of the Philippines 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the men's sanda 60kg category. He will fight Iran's Erfan Ahangarian for a place in the final.

Surya had earned a hard fought 2-1 win over Abdul Haris Sofyan of Indonesia in his first match.

In the men's sanda 65kg quarter-finals, Grewal beat Akmal Rakhimov of Uzbekistan 2-0. He will meet Foroud Zafari of Iran in the semi-finals.

But there was disappointment in store for Indians in the men's sanda 70kg event as Pardeep Kumar lost 1-2 to Indonesia's Puja Riyaya.

Pardeep was leading 1-0 till the late stages of the second round when Puja earned a point to draw level. Puja went on to take the lead in the third round which ultimately proved to be decisive.

[GeneChing]

Asian Games: Will Alibaba boss Jack Ma sing ‘Unchained Melody’ at Indonesia closing ceremony or will he perform Tai Chi? (https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2162356/asian-games-alibaba-boss-jack-ma-set-perform-jakarta-closing-ceremony)
The Alibaba co-founder will take part in the ceremony to hand over the Asian Games flag to his hometown of Hangzhou, host of the 2022 Games

PUBLISHED : Saturday, 01 September, 2018, 7:20pm
UPDATED : Saturday, 01 September, 2018, 8:58pm
Nazvi Careem

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Alibaba co-founder and executive chairman Jack Ma has reportedly told people he will perform at the Asian Games 2018 closing ceremony in Jakarta on Sunday.

Ma met Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Sabah on Saturday morning and it was at this meeting he told those present that he would perform at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium to mark the end of a successful Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang.

An official who was at the meeting but who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak, confirmed that Ma told those present he would be performing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8Ev9r6gXbg

His entourage applauded after he made the announcement. Ma’s office, though, informed the SCMP that he would only make a short remark at the ceremony but not perform.

Another source suggested that Ma will not sing but perform some Tai Chi during the show. Ma is a Tai Chi master and says he uses the discipline’s philosophy in his business dealings and in his daily life.

Taijiquan and Taijijian are part of the Asian Games wushu disciplines.

Ma will take part in the ceremony to hand over the baton to Chinese city Hangzhou, his hometown, which is hosting the 2022 Asian Games. The Alibaba billionaire is a major force behind Hangzhou’s successful bid to stage the next Games.

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Jack Ma (eight) with Olympic Council of Asian official Wei Jizhong at the Asian Games men’s volleyball final between China and Thailand.

The South China Morning Post is a subsidiary of Alibaba.

The 53-year-old Ma has performed in public before, most notably at the Yunqi Music Festival in October last year when he and Chinese singer Li Jian sang a duet of the latter’s hit song “Legend”.

Ma, wearing sunglasses and wearing a hip jacket, remained on stage to sing three more songs solo – Unchained Melody, Jonathan Lee’s I Finally Lost you and Wang Feng’s When I’m Thinking of You.

The Yunqi festival was part of the Computing Conference 2017 that was hosted by Alibaba Cloud in Hangzhou.

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The Asian Games opening ceremony on August 18. Photo: Reuters

Jakarta brings the curtain down on what has been a hugely successful Asian Games, surprising the world with its organisation, relative efficiency and, most of all, its spectacular opening ceremony on August 18 that set new standards for future Olympics and regional multisports events to emulate.

At the closing ceremony on Sunday, Hangzhou mayor Xu Liyi will receive the Asian Games flag from Jakarta officials and will take it back to the Chinese city as they begin their preparations for the 2022 Games.

THREADS
Asian Games (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58907-Asian-Games)
Chinese Billionaires & Tai Chi (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70406-Chinese-Billionaires-amp-Tai-Chi)
Jack Ma & Alibaba (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69642-Jack-Ma-amp-Alibaba)

[GeneChing]

He just announced the next games in his hometown.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCe5o5euNao

THREADS
Asian Games (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58907-Asian-Games)
Chinese Billionaires & Tai Chi (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70406-Chinese-Billionaires-amp-Tai-Chi)
Jack Ma & Alibaba (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69642-Jack-Ma-amp-Alibaba)

[GeneChing]

Is this really "breaking all the rules" or just breaking one rather obvious major rule?


Complaint lodged against wushu official for taking her kid to Asiad Village (https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/365071-complaint-lodged-against-wushu-official-for-taking-her-kid-to-asiad-village)
ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan contingent returned home from one of the poorest shows in the Asian Games, a complaint against a female wushu official has been lodged for taking along with her a five and half year kid to the Asian Games Village.

One of the contingent officials lodged a written complaint with the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) against female wushu managers Ambreen Iftikhar for breaking all the rules by taking with her a kid to the Asian Games.

The News has learnt from well-placed sources that the complaint mentioned her name and her totally uncalled for step which left other Pakistan contingent officials perplexed on many occasion s during the Game’s proceedings.

“Nowhere in any Games bringing your child is allowed. There is no rule that allows kids to get accreditation for the Games. Other countries officials were just amazed as why the official was even allowed entry to the Games village,” the written complaint says. POA was requested to take necessary action against the concerned official to set a precedent for others.

When The News approached POA Secretary Khalid Mehmood he confirmed receiving complaint against the wushu female official. “Yes, we have received a written complaint against female official from one of the contingent officials on her breaking the rules in a blunt way. Ambreen is our former national wushu champion and had requested for accreditation for her child well before the Games. The POA refused to oblige her mainly because there are no rules that allow us extending such facility to a kid during the Games. Why and how she had taken such a step would be interrogated,” he said. The POA has convened meeting of all concerned officials which were part of teams during the Asian Games on Saturday.

“We have convened a meeting Saturday to look into these indiscipline cases and at the same time would consider performance of each team during the Games,” POA secretary said. When Malik iftikhar Ahmad Awan, president Wushu Federation who also happens to be the husband of Amreen was approached he said that there was no harm in taking along your kid to the Games Village. “Look we were allowed entry to the village by the organisers and that was why our kid stayed there for well over twenty days.”

Iftikhar also said that as a manager and coaches, the officials were supposed to get dailies of players and distribute it back amongst players. “What is the job of manager then?” he questioned. Iftikhar said that his wife also plans to register complaint against some of the contingent officials for misbehaving. “We would do that in due course.” One good thing, however, was that no Pakistani or Games officials took the matter with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). In that case, the issue could have gone out of hands.

[GeneChing]

Asian Games: Indonesia’s wushu queen Lindswell Kwok retires after winning gold and thumbs up from president (https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2160482/asian-games-indonesias-wushu-queen-lindswell-kwok-retires-after)
The 26-year-old ethnic Chinese is hoping more youngsters will take up the sport in her country after watching her performance

PUBLISHED : Monday, 20 August, 2018, 3:47pm
UPDATED : Monday, 20 August, 2018, 3:47pm
Nazvi Careem

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/980x551/public/images/methode/2018/08/20/2e6ed578-a445-11e8-851a-8c4276191601_1280x720_154803.JPG?itok=x6UT6T8f

Indonesia’s darling of the Asian Games, wushu athlete Lindswell Kwok, has fulfilled her promise to retire from the sport minutes after winning gold for her country.

The 26-year-old – adored by her compatriots for her beauty, charm and good nature – claimed gold in the Taijiquan and Taijijian all-round competition on Monday, beating Hong Kong’s Juanita Mok Eun-ying into second place, and then told media that she was calling it quits.

“It’s enough now,” said Kwok, who was watched by Indonesian President Jokowi at the JIExpo complex in Jakarta. “I want to rest first. I don’t know what I’ll do next.


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View image on Twitter (https://twitter.com/asiangames2018/status/1031396054095159296/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwte rm%5E1031396054095159296&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scmp.com%2Fsport%2Fhong-kong%2****icle%2F2160482%2Fasian-games-indonesias-wushu-queen-lindswell-kwok-retires-after)

Asian Games 2018
✔
@asiangames2018
Indonesia's Lindswell gets a thumbs up from President @jokowi after winning Gold for Wushu!#AsianGames #AsianGames2018 #EnergyOfAsia

21:22 - 19 Aug 2018
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“I have been in wushu since I was a small child. So, I don’t know how I would survive in a world without wushu in my life. I wanted to end my career on a high and I was able to do that.”

Kwok is one of Indonesia’s most decorated athletes, having won five world championship titles and four Southeast Asian Games championships in a row since 2011.

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Indonesia’s gold medallist Lindswell Kwok (centre) with Hong Kong’s Juanita Mok (left) and Philippines bronze medallist Agatha Wong. Photo: AP

If she carries out her promise to retire, Indonesia may experience a void in quality wushu experts on the women’s side. But Kwok hopes more young Indonesians will be inspired by her performances, just she as was drawn to the sport by those who came before her.

“It may not be visible right now but I hope that with Indonesia’s achievements in the sport, our children can be encourage to pursue the sport,” she said.

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Lindswell Kwok hugs Hong Kong’s Juanita Mok after the medal ceremony. Photo: AP

“Previously, I never had any interest but when I saw athletes becoming world champions and raising the profile of Indonesian wushu, I became enthusiastic and decided to take up wushu.”

Jokowi, who congratulated Kwok in person after her victory, went on to social media to congratulate her achievement, saying she was the symbolic leader of the Indonesian wushu team.

Glamorous with movie-star good looks, Kwok is a symbol of unity in multi-ethnic Indonesia where more than a year ago many in the capital took to the streets to help oust former governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, an ethnic Chinese.

THREADS:
Asian Games (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58907-Asian-Games)
Sword Hotties (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?41007-Sword-hotties)

[GeneChing]

English-language coverage of this year's Asian Games has been so random.


Agatha Wong: For the love of wushu (http://www.bworldonline.com/agatha-wong-for-the-love-of-wushu/)
September 10, 2018 | 6:26 pm

http://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/agatha.jpg
FILIPINO WUSHU Asian Games bronze medallist Agatha Wong at the media roundtable on Sept. 6 that was hosted by the College of St. Benilde. — ALVIN S. GO

AGATHA CHRYSTENZEN Wong could have easily been a swimmer, a karatedo athlete or even a ballet dancer, but it is in wushu that she has found her place under the sporting sun.

It is a sport that the newly minted Asian Games bronze medallist has vowed dedication to, something she aspires to successfully share with others with the hopes of more people getting to appreciate wushu and eventually picking it up.

“My parents were athletes and they made me try a lot of sports like swimming, karatedo and wushu. I also tried ballet. But when I had to choose, I chose wushu,” said Ms. Wong, 20, in a media roundtable on Sept. 6 hosted by the College of St. Benilde, the school where she got her degree in Consular and Diplomatic Affairs.

“Wushu is a very practiced sport all over the world. If you asked people which is the number one exercise in martial arts it is actually wushu. It is [prevalent] not only in Asia but also in Europe and the Americas. So when you’re from the Philippine team and you’ve gone to international competitions they know you are good,” she added.

And the top caliber that Filipinos have in wushu was what she showed in the recently held 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, where Ms. Wong wound up with a bronze in the women’s taijiquan and taijijian all-around event.

Competed third in the lineup, Ms. Wong tallied a total of 19.36 points behind gold medal winner Lindswell Lindswell of Indonesia with 19.50 points and silver medallist Juanita Mok Uen Ying of Hong Kong with 19.42 points.

Her bronze was one of the 15 that the Philippines had to finish 19th overall in the medal standings of the quadrennial continental sporting event.

Ms. Wong said that she is very proud of the bronze medal that she got, considering the preparation they had in the lead-up was not ideal as hoped, particularly with the support, or lack thereof, that they got.

“To be honest, the support was not that solid before the Asian Games. The team had financial problems, we had no coach and no budget for new costumes… And then we didn’t train in China, which was important in big competitions like the SEA Games and Asian Games. It was mandatory for us to train in China because we would have had a better shot in the Asian Games,” she said.

But Ms. Wong rose above it all through good old hard work and resilience.

WOMEN CAN DO IT

She went on to say that she, too, is proud of being part of the recurring theme in the Asian Games of women doing well for the Philippines.

Of the 21 medals won by the country, 13 were from women, including the four gold medals care off weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, skateboarder Margielyn Didal, golfer Yaku Saso and the Philippine women’s golf team.

“I think we know that every country is actually a dominantly patriarchal society so you know when they comment that, ‘You play like a girl.’ It’s quite an insult. But in this case, out of 21 medals [we got], 13 of those were from Filipino women and I can say that I’m really proud not only to be a Filipino but basically to be a girl and represent this country,” said Ms. Wong.

Adding, “I think their perspective on gender and equality here has changed as well and I think they started to view women as no longer the weaker one. When you look at it we’re equally the same as men. So I just want every Filipino to know that you cannot look down on women because women are as a great as men.”

Having done well in the sport of wushu, Ms. Wong said takes pride in what she has accomplished to date and setting her sights on more mountains to conquer.

“When I want something I really try to do everything I can to achieve it. The road to where I am now was not easy. I had to balance academics and the sport along the way. But it made me tougher and shaped my mentality that I have as an athlete,” Ms. Wong said.

Up next for Ms. Wong is the Wushu World Cup in November in Myanmar and then the 2019 Southeast Asian Games that the country is hosting and the World Championship next year. —

[GeneChing]

Asian Games 2023: Chinese fans fume over South Korean ‘provocation’ in taekwondo final (https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3236266/asian-games-2023-chinese-fans-fume-over-south-korean-athletes-aggression-and-provocation-taekwondo)

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Video goes viral on social media showing South Korean athletes in mixed taekwondo team final seemingly provoking Chinese opponents
South Korean tennis star Kwon Soon-woo apologises after smashing racket and for refusing to shake hands with Thai opponent in Hangzhou
Kathryn Giordano

Published: 3:43pm, 29 Sep, 2023

Chinese fans reacted angrily on social media to a third unsavoury Asian Games incident featuring South Korean athletes, after an aggressive end to the taekwondo mixed team final.

Tensions soared in the gold medal match on September 25, with a post on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, saying Chinese athletes were “provoked three times” by their opponents.

The accompanying video went viral on Thursday. It showed a South Korean athlete seemingly egging on his Chinese opponent and indicating he approach him.

In another clip, a South Korean athlete appeared to lightly shove a Chinese athlete as he approached him.

The referee, in an attempt to de-escalate the situation, tried to stop the two competitors, and even slightly held back the South Korean.

Once again, Chinese sports fans took out their frustration by posting on Weibo, with one fan writing: “How on earth did they manage to be so offensive?”

“Koreans are here to compete or to be embarrassed and conspicuous,” another wrote. “They throw rackets, refuse to shake hands, bite people, slap opponents.”

The final happened on the same day that South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo destroyed his tennis racket and refused to shake hands after losing to Samrej Kasidit of Thailand. Kwon has =apologised for his reaction in a post on Instagram.

“I did something reckless that I should not have done as a national team player,” Kwon wrote. “I sincerely apologise to all the people who supported the national team’s game and to the crowd at the stadium … I sincerely regret and reflect on the actions that were seen after the match.”

The day before, South Korean judoka Lee Hye-kyeong was disqualified in the women’s 48kg semi-finals for slapping her opponent, Abiba Abuzhakynova of Kazakhstan, across the face.

In each instance, Chinese sports fans complained about the South Korean athletes’ behaviour on social media.

China ultimately won the mixed team taekwondo gold medal, triumphing 84-77 in the final, with South Korea taking silver.

Asian-Games (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58907-Asian-Games)
Tae-Kwon-Do (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?42906-Tae-Kwon-Do)