The SEA Games

[GeneChing]

What is up with those quotes?

Wally dismayed after sanda exclusion in 29th SEA Games

Friday, March 04, 2016

WORLD Wushu gold medallist Divine Wally is hoping the 2017 Southeast Asian Games host country Malaysia will revert back its decision to drop all sanda (combat) events before the international competitions next year.
The 19-year-old Baguio City athlete said the preparations she made to earn a spot in the biennial sports competition will just all went to naught if the plan will push through.
“I feel bad about hearing the news, isa po kasi yan sa mga international competitions na pinag-tratrainan namin at present,” Wally told Sun.Star Baguio.
Earlier this week, the Malaysian organizers announced its intent to remove all the sanda competitions in favor of taolu (form) events in wushu.
“Kung mai-pupush po kasi yung decision eh masasayang lang yung training namin which is almost a year now,” Wally added.
According to the Wushu Federation of the Philippines (WFP), Malaysia favoured to bring in 17 taolu events and scrapped in sanda where Filipinos athletes are good at.
Despite the decision Wally, a University of the Cordilleras student-athlete, said she will continue to train for the 2017 SEA Games.
Meanwhile, the WFP-Cordillera also stands with their mother organization in countering the pronouncement made by the host country.
According to the statement given by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) sports and rules committee member and WFP official, Jun Camacho, the Filipino organization would rather boycott the 2017 SEA Games and rather enlist in the upcoming Asian Wushu Championships Taoyuan, Chinese Taipei this September.
Camacho on the other hand said the POC and WFP will insist the inclusion of some sanda events, if not all, in next year’s SEA Games on the next SEA Games Federation meeting scheduled in July.
The POC has also asked other neighbouring Southeast Asian sports associations to formalize their request for inclusion of the sport.
Apart from Wally, other local names expected to join the Filipino wushu-sanda line-up is another World Wushu champion Jean Claude Saclag, who missed the 28th edition of the SEA Games after acquiring a shoulder injury.
During the 2015 SEA Games held in Singapore, Baguio’s wushu-taolu specialist Daniel Parantac led the medal haul from the event with one gold (taijijian) and two silvers (taijiquan and double weapons contest), as the Philippines completed a 1-4-1 medal tally to contribute with the Philippines 29-36-66 record. (MVP)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on March 05, 2016.

[GeneChing]

There's actually about a two dozen SEA Games stories on my newsfeed. I just grabbed this one for the annual ttt. Honestly, I would've spaced it out if not for searching for more info on the Universaide.

Get to know PH wushu's golden girl
Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Aug 23 2017 12:10 PM


Agatha Wong has won two medals at the SEA Games. Photo from Philippine Sports Commission

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – As she performed in the taijiquan event in the final day of the wushu competition at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, Agatha Wong showed no signs of nerves.
Instead, she was assured and graceful, twirling and landing almost perfectly, keeping her balance as she went through her form in front of an appreciative audience at Hall 5 of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center on Tuesday afternoon.
It was only when her score was flashed on the big screen that Wong's emotions betrayed her.
The 19-year-old student from De La Salle-College of St. Benilde got a 9.66 in the event, putting her in first place with two more competitors to go.
The Burmese athlete who performed after her was also impressive, but managed only a 9.54, and the Lao, who wrapped up the event, failed to medal.
"I got really emotional noong na-flash ang score," Wong told ABS-CBN News after it was confirmed that she won gold for taijiquan. "I almost cried, but I didn't."
It was already the second medal of the SEA Games for Wong, who on Monday settled for silver in the taijijian. She had performed first then, garnering a score of 9.65, and held on to the top spot until the final performer from Indonesia scored a 9.68.
This time around, however, there was no beating Wong even as she said that she treated her triumphant performance as "like every other day in training."
"It's nothing special naman, my routine," she explained. "I've had better forms. But I'd say that today, at least I did my best, and I got the best results."
Growing up, wushu was not Wong's lone sport. Her grandmother enrolled her in a variety of athletic pursuits. She even tried ballet but gave it up – "I'm not that girly," she explained – and focused on both swimming and wushu.
"'Yung wushu, I loved it," she says. "Pero on and off siya. Nagko-compete sila ng interest ko, with swimming and wushu."
Her love for wushu prevailed, however, and Wong focused her attention on the sport that brought her to the top of the podium in the Kuala Lumpur games.
For Wong, wushu is a way of boosting her confidence. She admits that she is not a naturally out-going person, and so stepping onto the carpet to perform in front of an audience and a panel of judges is an act of bravery for her every single time.
"I'm very shy," she said. "So for me to compete in this sport, which requires a lot of guts… it's actually the best sport to ramp up your confidence."
"So kapag nagko-compete ako, tinatapangan ko na lang ang mukha ko," she said. "And I think that helps me a lot for my mentality."
She pays no mind to the other performers, Wong insists, even as she sees them practicing their forms behind the curtains. And once she is done with her performance, it's done – and she will never have any regrets.
"I know I did my best," she stressed. "I know na hindi ko iisipin na, 'I could have done better,' because I always train, every day."
"I think whenever I step in the carpet, I always do my best, and nakikita naman ng audience 'yun sa ginagawa ko," she added.

[GeneChing]

Tuesday, 22 August 2017
Pretty Lindswell continues domination in taijiquan


Don’t mess with this girl: Indonesia’s wushu exponent Lindswell Kwok posing with her gold in the women’s taijiquan.

INDONESIA’S Lindswell Kwok is not just a pretty face. She’s also one of the best in wushu.

Lindswell’s elegant routine was a class above her competitors’ as she claimed gold in the women’s taijiquan with 9.68 points at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) yesterday.

Agatha Wong of the Philippines took the silver with 9.65 and Malaysian Audrey Chan Yee Jo the bronze with 9.64.

This is Lindswell’s fourth straight SEA Games gold since Jakarta 2011.

The 25-year-old exponent, who is from Medan, surprisingly revealed that she did not enjoy practising wushu at first.

She was only nine when older brother Iwan helped her pick up changquan – a fast and forceful form of wushu.

“My coach Supandi Kusuma said I was too soft. I was only a kid then and I did not like wushu because there was so much discipline involved.

“But I switched to taiji, a slower form of wushu, and I began to enjoy it more. I began to observe and learn from my seniors as I got older.

“This win is all the more sweeter for me as I’m coming back from a knee injury,” said Lindswell, who has won the world title three times in a row.

Her eyes lit up at the mention of the Asian Games next year. That’s because Indonesia will be hosting the Asiad and Lindswell can’t wait to perform in front of her home fans.

“That’s my next ambition. I won a silver at the last Asian Games in South Korea three years ago. I hope to get the gold this time,” she said.

Indonesia enjoyed a good day yesterday when they bagged another wushu gold.

Felda Elvira Santoso and Monica Pransisca Sugianto gave Indonesia a one-two finish in the women’s daoshu (broadsword), scoring 9.67 and 9.66.

SEA Games: Teen exponent Jowen Lim strikes wushu gold again for Singapore


Jowen Lim's victory in the optional changquan added to his gold in the optional daoshu and gunshu on Monday, which was his first ever individual Games triumph . Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY

The 18-year-old won both his and the Republic’s second gold in Kuala Lumpur with his crisp routine

BY TEO TENG KIAT IN KUALA LUMPUR
PUBLISHED: 4:30 PM, AUGUST 22, 2017 UPDATED: 7:38 PM, AUGUST 22, 2017

KUALA LUMPUR — Jowen Lim does not fixate on winning medals every time he heads into a competition, preferring instead to simply focus on giving his best.

That attitude has paid off handsomely for the wushu exponent at the 29th SEA Games, after he clinched his second gold medal of the competition on Tuesday afternoon (Aug 22) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

A confident display in the men’s optional changquan saw the 18-year-old recording a score of 9.68, which, in turn, enabled him to edge Vietnam's Tran Xuan Hiep by 0.01 to take gold.

Indonesia’s Edgar Xavier Marvelo recorded 9.66 to finish third

The sixth of 13 competitors to perform, Lim wowed the judges with his crisp routine. Even then, he revealed that he was surprised to emerge top in the end.

https://www.facebook.com/TODAYsports...6354745095093/

“For today, I'm really happy and speechless as to how I was able to win the gold,” he told TODAY. “I want to thank my federation for all their support and belief in me, and my family who came down to watch my performance.”

The victory added to his gold in the optional daoshu and gunshu on Monday, which was his first ever individual Games triumph and one he described as “extra, extra special”. Lim had won the gold in the duel weapons in 2015 on his Games debut.

But medals are secondary for the former two-time world youth champion and Asian youth champion who picked up the sport at five and made the national team at 11.

“My parents are both sportsmen and they wanted me to join a sport before I had to join a CCA (co-curricular activity)in Primary 3,” he recalled.

“We saw a live wushu performance on television and it was quite cool and quite special, so we just went to try…

“Every time I go for a competition, it's just mainly (about) showing how Singapore has strong wushu talents coming up.

“Wushu is a performing art so to me, it's just about performing my best to show everybody. It's not all about getting a medal to me.”

Lim currently trains from Monday to Saturday, juggling school during the week with his nightly sessions that run from 7.30 to 10pm.

It is a routine he has gotten used to and the Year 2 student at Republic Polytechnic is now targeting qualification for next year’s Asian Games in Indonesia, which he described as the “biggest competition” for wushu as it is not an Olympic sport.

With the wushu competition coming to an end today, it also means Lim has accounted for all of Singapore’s golds in the sport.

The Republic’s six other wushu medals - one silver and five bronzes - came through Samuel Tan (silver, men’s compulsory 3rd taijiquan), Ho Lin Ying (bronze, women’s compulsory 3rd taijiquan), Fung Jin Jie (bronze, men’s optional jianshu), Fung Hui Xin (bronze, women’s optional jianshu), Zoe Mui (bronze, women’s optional daoshu) and Chan Jun Kai (bronze, men’s optional taijijian).

SEA Games & Wushu style Tai Chi

[GeneChing]

A Philippine report. I'd love to see some Silat competition vids...

[slink]

I hope during this SEA HQ from LOL will take any actions and discussions regarding dynamic queues. It was discussed previously https://lolepicshop.com/why-dynamic-queue-sucks, but nothing has changed from previous time. Am I the only guy who has this issue, even with a stable ping and internet connection ?

[GeneChing]

Ouch. This a major blow to the sport of Wushu. I've been wondering if this sort of exclusion from the international multi-sport games might be coming soon...

Wushu exponents disarmed – no thanks to SEA Games organisers
OTHER SPORTS
Friday, 12 Jul 2019
by lim teik huat


What a waste: World champion Wong Weng Son’s main events – the jiangshu and qiangshi are left out of the SEA Games.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian wushu team can’t help but feel like they have been sucker punched heading into the Philippines SEA Games in December.

The Philippines organisers have shockingly done away with seven out of the nine events in the women’s taolu (barehands and weapons) discipline contested at the last SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur two years ago.

Only the taijijian and taijiquan events have been retained, which is not surprising as the hosts have a gold medal prospect in Agatha Wong – a bronze medallist in the combined taiji events at the Indonesia Asian Games last year.

There are not many changes in the men’s taolu discipline with seven events contested compared to eight in KL.

The team of five were finalised after the selection trial in Bukit Jalil yesterday and MWF president Datuk Chong Kim Fatt said they would be happy with one gold.

Malaysia were the overall champions with six golds, five silvers and three bronzes when they hosted the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur two years ago.

“We’ve a few world championships medallists but they are not going as their events are not in the SEA Games.

“We have world champion Weng Son but his main events – jiangshu and qiangshu – are also left out.

“This is the smallest squad that we are sending for the SEA Games,” he said, adding that Malaysia did send an appeal through the Olympic Council of Malaysia to the SEA Games organisers but nothing came out of it.

“I’m worried over the impact on the growth of the sport in this region. It’s just not good for the long-term development when the basic disciplines are left out,” he added.

At the last SEA Games, Wai Kin and Weng Son chalked a 1-2 finish respectively in the men’s jianshu and qiangshu events.

Ho Mun Hua and Diana Bong contributed the remaining gold medals from the men’s and women’s nanquan events respectively but both have since quit the national team.

Malaysia are certainly hoping history will not repeat itself when they returned home from the Philippines Games in 2005 without even one gold medal.

Then, Philippines emerged as overall champions, winning 12 out of the 22 events at stake while Malaysia settled for two silvers and three bronze medals.

[GeneChing]

Only Malaysia cares...

SEA Games: Lone female wushu player carries flag for Malaysia
The Star/Asia News Network / 07:51 PM November 12, 2019


Determination: Sydney Chin, the only woman in the Malaysian wushu team to the Philippines SEA Games has set her eyes on a golden debut. Azman Ghani / The Star

MANILA, Philippines–She is the only rose among the thorns but Malaysia’s Sydney Chin can count on calming advice from her more illustrious seniors back home as she goes hunting for medal at the Philippines SEA Games.

The 20-year-old from Malacca is the only woman in the small five-person Malaysian wushu team for the Games.

Malaysia had no choice but to send such a small representation as the hosts have scrapped seven out of the nine events contested in the women’s competition at the last Games in Kuala Lumpur two years ago.

Only two events for women – taijijuan and taijijian (taiji sword) – will be contested in Manila. Sydney, the 2016 World Taijiquan Championships double gold medallist, will fly the flag for Malaysia.

Malaysia cannot count on the services of Tan Cheong Min and Phoon Eyin, who have won world titles in nanquan (long fists) and jiangshu (sword) respectively.

The other four male exponents going are Wong Weng Son, Yeap Wai Kin, Chuah Shangyang and Loh Choon How.

“I am a bit scared but excited at the same time… being the only woman exponent and going for my first SEA Games.

“But my teammates who have much more experience than me with the national team have given me good advice. They have asked me not to worry and I can reach out to them at the same time. A lot of factors will be outside our control and they just told me to focus on my performance and not to pressure myself.

“I will try my best to get a medal. I feel the chance is there although it’s going to be very tough as the standards of wushu in South-East Asia are high.

“The Philippines also have a good taiji exponent (in 2018 Asian Games bronze medalist Agatha Wong) and she will be the favorite as they have the home-ground advantage, ” said Sydney, who previously trained in changquan before switching to the taiji discipline six years ago.

At the KL SEA Games, Malaysia returned with their best-ever outing of six golds, five silvers and three bronzes under coach Lim Yew Fai.

Yew Fai and former Asian Games gold medallist Mao Yaqi of China are the coaches for the SEA Games.

Despite the extra coaching force, Malaysia can obviously not repeat the golden outing.

They will, in fact, do well to keep in mind what happened in 2005 when the Philippines last hosted the SEA Games. Malaysia did not win a single gold medal and came home with two silvers and three bronzes.

[GeneChing]

#SEAGames2019: Pinoy arnis champ in 40s didn’t let age get in way of gold
Dennis Gasgonia, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Dec 02 2019 08:49 PM | Updated as of Dec 03 2019 01:17 AM


Villardo Cunamay used to practice karate before transferring to the indigenous Filipino martial arts. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/file

ANGELES CITY—Most fighter athletes slow down when they are in their 40s, but not Villardo Cunamay.

The Philippine Army technical sergeant proved that even at 46, he still can be effective in arnis.

On Sunday, he again defied his age whipping his way to a gold medal win over Mengly Yong of Cambodia in the live stick lightweight division final at Angeles University Foundation.

The victory was special for Cunamay, who had to engage his younger and taller opponent in a tactical fight.

Dennis Gasgonia
@dggasgo
Villardo Cunamay is 46 years old, yet he outsmarted a younger and taller arnisador on Sunday to win a gold in men's arnis. Nice one, Villardo!


9
1:13 AM - Dec 1, 2019
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“Tiyaga lang sa training ’yan, basta may determination ka. Mga bata pa ang kasabayan ko sa training hindi ako gumigive up. Dahil may goal ako na gusto kong patunayan na kahit matanda kaya ko pa ring makipagsabayan,” he said.

Cunamay actually started late in the sport. He was already 35 when he picked up arnis after being transferred to the Army’s Special Service Center.

“Una kong naging sport karate talaga,” he confessed. “Nu’ng umpisa mahirap hindi kabisado ang moves pero pinagaralan ko kasi ito na ang pambansang sport ng Pilipinas. Na-adopt ko rin later on kasi may background na ko sa karate.”

Like most martial artists, he had to go through the painful process of getting his before reaching a certain level of expertise.

Cunamay added that conditioning is also very important especially in competition.

“Tatamaan at tatamaan ka talaga kasi kahit naka armor ka. Kung malakas ang hit ng kalaban mo lalo pag tumama sa may elbow masakit. At sa full contact, ubusan ng hangin, palakasan ng hangin patagalan ng resistensya,” he said.

He is now a second dan blackbelter.

Cunamay became exceptional in arnis that he won gold medals in competitions sanctioned by Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (PEKAF) and World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF).

You can now add the gold medal he won in the SEA Games.

“Nu’ng bata bata ako hindi ko naisip na mararating ko ito. Kung kelan ako tumanda saka ako nakarating,” he said.

THREADS
The SEA Games
Kali/Arnis/Escrima characteristics

[GeneChing]

THREADS
The SEA Games
Kali/Arnis/Escrima characteristics

[GeneChing]

It's actually an achievement given the nature of sport.

3 minute read
No wushu judging complaints this time


Loh Choon How. NSTP/OSMAN ADNAN

By NST Sports - December 4, 2019 @ 12:37pm
WHILE wushu was marred by judging controversies in previous editions of the Sea Games, it was not the case in Manila.

Malaysian exponents gave the thumbs-up to the judges and the organisers for their professionalism as they finished their Sea Games campaign with two gold through Loh Choon How in taijiquan and taijijian and one silver from Wong Weng Son in changquan.

The Malaysian Wushu Federation (MWF) had earlier feared that there would be biased judging due to past incidents.

In 2005 in Manila, the national exponents, led by former world champion Ho Ro Bin, were victims of biased judging, losing in the final to Filipino exponents.

National coach Lim Yew Fai, who was part of the 2005 team, said the judges were fair in awarding points to the exponents this time.

‘Everyone here is happy. However, I did remind our exponents not to make mistakes on the carpet and give a reason for the judges to deduct points.

Malaysia finished third overall behind champions Indonesia (2-2-1) and the Philippines (2-1-2) in the Sea Games.

There's actually been a fair amount of coverage of the SEA Games this year in English. I've only posted a few of the articles I've seen. Most of the rest detail specific SEA champs.

[GeneChing]

Filipino gold medalist bows to Taekwondo master
George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Dec 07 2019 03:30 PM | Updated as of Dec 07 2019 04:27 PM


Rodolfo Reyes Jr. of the Philippines bows to Grandmaster Sung-Chon Hong, considered the father of Philippine Taekwondo, during the SEA Games Taekwondo competition at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Saturday. Reyes won gold in the 2019 SEA Games Taekwondo Men's Individual Poomsae.

This photo went viral.

THREADS
SEA Games
Tae Kwon Do

[GeneChing]

There's been a lot of coverage in English this year, more so than ever. I'm only cherry-picking a few choice articles. Maybe I just haven't been looking at the right sources in previous years...

Wushu superstar Agatha Wong declares she's Filipino 'by blood and by heart'
by JOHN PAULO AGUILERA
2 DAYS AGO


PHOTO: FREDDIE DIONISIO

On Saturday, Philippine wushu's golden girl Agatha Wong took to Twitter to set the record straight.

Agatha Wong
@AgathaWongy
My last name’s Chinese & yet I am a Filipina; more than anything. I was born in the Philippines, grew up in the ph & represent the Philippines wherever I go. Mahal ko ang bayan ko.
.
.
.
So don’t tell me I’m Chinese kaya ako nanalo. Nanalo ako dahil Pilipino ako, at lalaban ako.

62.3K
6:18 PM - Dec 6, 2019
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In an interview with SPIN Life, the national athlete revealed that she made the post about Filipino pride — which has already garnered 2.6k retweets and 25k likes as of writing — after some people argued it was "only natural" for a Chinese to win in the wushu competitions of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Agatha kicked off the country's gold rush by bagging a pair of medals in the women's taijiquan and taolu taijijian events.

She continued, "What they don't know is that I have sacrificed a lot to stay in this sport. Just because my last name is Chinese, it doesn't mean that I would have (automatically) won the games. If my last name was Fernandez (middle name), it would make no difference. I would still give my best to compete against my opponents."

Turns out, more netizens were supportive of Agatha, and that they can understand and relate to the racial discrimination she's facing.

Agatha Wong
@AgathaWongy
· Dec 6, 2019
My last name’s Chinese & yet I am a Filipina; more than anything. I was born in the Philippines, grew up in the ph & represent the Philippines wherever I go. Mahal ko ang bayan ko.
.
.
.
So don’t tell me I’m Chinese kaya ako nanalo. Nanalo ako dahil Pilipino ako, at lalaban ako.

jlum14
@jlum14
Ignore niyo po mga bashers online. Keep up the good work and thank you very much for representing our country.

50
6:23 PM - Dec 6, 2019
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Agatha Wong
@AgathaWongy
· Dec 6, 2019
My last name’s Chinese & yet I am a Filipina; more than anything. I was born in the Philippines, grew up in the ph & represent the Philippines wherever I go. Mahal ko ang bayan ko.
.
.
.
So don’t tell me I’m Chinese kaya ako nanalo. Nanalo ako dahil Pilipino ako, at lalaban ako.

Bun Xie
@bunx13
I feel you Agatha..wag pansinin mga ungas na yan!!! Apir tayong mga Chinese ang last name pero Pinoy na Pinoy ang puso!! 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭 para sa BAYAN!!!!

326
7:14 PM - Dec 6, 2019
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[GeneChing]

What a grand showcase for Filipino martial arts. This year's Games were eye-opening, what the Beijing Olympics should've been for Wushu...

Arnis, Philippines Martial Art That Evokes Magellan's Nemesis
By James EDGAR
12/06/19 AT 11:03 PM

To the untrained eye, arnis -- the stick-wielding martial art of the Philippines -- is brutal and frenzied, but behind the chaos lies a tradition dating back hundreds of years.


Filipino 'arnisadors' are fiercely proud of their country, and the sport that symbolises their spirit of battle and revolution Photo: AFP / WAKIL KOHSAR

With some contests lasting just a few minutes, the fast and furious combat sport made a triumphant return to the Southeast Asian Games this week, boosting the home nation's haul of golds by 14.

Filipino 'arnisadors' are fiercely proud of their country, and the sport that symbolises their spirit of battle and revolution.


Arnis was last contested at the SEA Games in 2005, when the Philippines last hosted the event -- and last finished top of the medals table Photo: AFP / PORNCHAI KITTIWONGSAKUL

It holds a treasured place in Filipino hearts as it evokes 16th-century tribal ruler Lapu-Lapu, whose army killed Ferdinand Magellan, the lead explorer in the first successful circumnavigation of the globe, and saw off the Spanish invaders, delaying their colonisation by several decades.

"We consider this the martial art of Lapu-Lapu," Senator Miguel Zubiri, the Philippines Arnis Federation president, told AFP.


At this year's SEA Games men and women from just four nations -- the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam -- fought in bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight arnis competitions Photo: AFP / WAKIL KOHSAR

"Lapu-Lapu was our first defender," the former world champion added at the Angeles University Foundation, about 80 kilometres northwest of the capital Manila.

"We consider him our first national hero. He is actually in our logo, and we consider him as our founding father."


The Philippines martial art of arnis evokes 16th-century tribal ruler Lapu-Lapu, whose army saw off the Spanish invaders, delaying their colonisation by several decades Photo: AFP / WAKIL KOHSAR

The 'full combat' version of arnis is rapid and unforgiving, and the weapons are considered as extensions of the body.

"It's a style of fighting where you utilise knives and sticks," Zubiri explained, adding that the Spanish banned bladed weapons during their occupation, so Filipinos instead trained with sticks.


The Philippines martial art of arnis evokes 16th-century tribal ruler Lapu-Lapu, whose army saw off the Spanish invaders, delaying their colonisation by several decades Photo: AFP / WAKIL KOHSAR

Players in body armour and grilled helmets bow to one another in the middle of the fighting square before attempting to strike their opponent's body with a baton made of ratan.


Arnis has made a triumphant return to the Southeast Asian Games Photo: AFP / WAKIL KOHSAR

At the SEA Games men and women from just four nations -- the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam -- fought in bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight.

They also performed solo choreographed routines with weapons, known as anyo, for which competitors wore traditional costumes.

Crisamuel Delfin won a gold medal for his 'open weapon' anyo routine, during which he wielded a sword and performed somersaults and flips.

His feathered headdress is a sign of ferocity and painted tattoos show a warrior's accomplishments and place in society, he explained, while the pattern on his "wanno" loincloth indicates where he is from -- the mountainous region of Ifugao.

"Being from the tribes of the northern provinces, it was very important that I was able to show my traditional costume and to revive and rekindle the spirit of being a warrior in the Philippines," he said through a translator.

"I was glad I was to bring out not just the movements, but the emotion and the feeling of being fierce and committed -- the spirit of being a martial artist," he said.

Abegail Abad, from Baguio City in Luzon, won the women's welterweight, padded stick competition.

"For me it is important to look back for the traditional because it is what binds us together," she said. "And if this binds us together we can also be what we want to be in the future."

Arnis was last contested at the SEA Games in 2005, when the Philippines last hosted the event -- and last finished top of the medals table.

They are on course to repeat the feat, as the SEA Games has a flexible programme which allows plenty of flexibility in the hosts' favour.

THREADS
The SEA Games
Kali/Arnis/Escrima characteristics

[GeneChing]

February 24, 2023
SEA Games to open with Bokator and Shaolin Kung Fu
Taing Rinith / Khmer Times


A demonstration of Kung Fu in a temple. Xinhua

A twin display of Asian martial arts – Cambodian Bokator and Chinese Shaolin Kung Fu – will take centre stage at the opening of the 2023 SEA Games which will be hosted by Cambodia in Phnom Penh in May.

The plan for the special performance was jointly announced by Minister Thoung Khon and visiting Vice Governor of China’s Hainan Province, Shen Danyang, in Phnom Penh.

Khon explained that Bokator was recognised last year by UNESECO as an Intangible World Heritage, and the great tradition makes an ideal highlight for the official opening ceremony of SEA Games 2023.

Ever since pre-Angkorian times, Bokator was a fighting technique employed on the battlefield by whole armies at once. Bokator fighting is characterized by hand-to-hand combat along and with use of weapons.

At the meeting, Kohn requested that China send its Shaolin Kun Fu martial artists to perform at the event. He hopes to see four or five fights between Shaolin Kung Fu and Khmer martial arts practitioners.

Shaolin Kung Fu was developed over 1,500 years ago at the Shaolin Temple in Henan province. Traditionally, fighters of Shaolin style Kung Fu remain unarmed.

Other forms use the spear and the staff, for which the original monks of Shaolin temple became especially famous.

In Shaolin Kung Fu, movements are rapid, quick, and forceful. Kung Fu was popularised thanks to numerous Hong Kong movies over the years.

Master SAN Kimsean, a Bakator Master and owner of the Cambodia Bokator Academy, also supports the proposed plan to feature fighting displays.

He felt that the idea is a great opportunity for the two ancient martial art forms to show off their history to the world.

“It’s a rare opportunity for our Bokator practitioners to gain experience from well-known Kung Fu masters from China,” he said.

“However, I recommend both sides work closely with one another on the performances to make sure we show everyone a balanced performance, one without errors or fouls.”

Vath Chomroen, CAMSOC General Secretary, said yesterday that Cambodia is expected to spend 136 million dollars hosting SEA Games 2023.

Good to see these games come back.

[GeneChing]

Despite med school demands, Agatha Wong claims 5th SEA Games gold in wushu
MAY 12, 2023 2:38 PM PHT
DELFIN DIOQUINO


Agatha Wong admits she did not expect much from herself in the 2023 SEA Games as she juggles wushu and med school

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – The arduous balancing act between med school and wushu did not hinder Agatha Wong from clinching a fifth gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games.

Wong bagged a gold for the fourth straight edition of the regional showpiece, including two in 2019, after topping the women’s taijiquan + taijijian event at the Chroy Changvar Convention Center here on Friday, May 12.


She earned a total of 19.263 points in the combined event which merged taiquan and taijijian into one, besting Malaysia’s Sydney Chin (19.196) and Brunei’s Basma Lachkar (19.160).

While she was tipped as a heavy favorite in the event after clinching the taijijian gold and the taijiquan silver in Vietnam last year, Wong admitted she did not expect much from herself as she juggles wushu and med school.

“I’ve been training hard but all I could think of are my backlogs in school,” said Wong, who is now in her first year at the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center.

“Everyone was expecting that I would win but I can’t even expect myself to win so it was really hard to manage mentally.”

Wong scored 9.580 points in the taijiquan segment to place third behind Chin (9.640) and Lachkar (9.610), but pulled her score up after garnering 9.683 points in the taijijian, an event she ruled in the past two SEA Games.

Chin posted 9.556 in the taijijian to settle for silver, while Lachkar recorded 9.550 for bronze.

‘I really like this sport’
Wong said it has been a major adjustment since she started med school, four years after graduating with a Diplomatic Affairs degree from the College of St. Benilde in 2018.

“I train twice a day then I still have class. I study at night. We train from Monday to Saturday. Sunday is the only day for rest. But I allot my Sundays for backlogs in school,” she said.

Coming from a family of lawyers and doctors, Wong decided to pursue med school of her own volition since she saw similarities between the medical profession and wushu.

“My personality is not for law. Since I’m already in sports, I thought to myself why don’t I connect the two so I went to med.”

Wong, who is also an Asian Games taijiquan bronze medalist, said her passion for the sport made it work despite the challenging demands of med school.

“If you want it, you can find a way. It’s hard, but I can do it because I really like this sport.”

Philippine wushu also secured a bronze courtesy of Sandrex Gainsan in the men’s jianshu + qiangshu. – Rappler.com

So impressive.