WUC Wushu closes with spectacular performances

Iran ends on strong note in Sanda competition 

MACAO — The final day of the FISU World University Wushu Championship saw many more medals awarded and new World University Champions crowned. 

As always, the morning began with the Taolu competitions – the traditional set routine comprising a series of techniques and choreographies. The Men’s Nanquan fielded strong competitors from Indonesia, Russia and Japan, but it was home favourite Chio Wai Keong of Macao who won the gold with a masterful performance that earned him 9.45 points.  This was in addition to the silver medal he had won earlier in the Nangun event.

In the Women’s Jianshu competition, Natalie Chriselda Tanasa from Indonesia finished on a truly memorable note – she won the gold medal, to add to her gold medal in the Changquan event and a bronze in Qiangshu. She departs from Macao with two gold, one bronze and great honour for Indonesia. 

Then it was time for Nanquan, which is a modern style created in the 1960s, derived from  traditional martial arts of southern Chinese provinces. The top three places in the Women’s Nanquan event were exactly the same as what had been witnessed in the Nandao competition: Chen Huiying from China won the championship, followed by Gerasimova Daria of Russia and Lee Lucy of USA. 

The afternoon and evening sessions were once again dedicated to the combat format of Sanda. Finals of several Sanda events were held and in the Women’s 52-kg final, Chinese athlete Dai Shimeng took the gold by defeating Rosalina Simanjuntak from Indonesia in two straight rounds. 

In the Men’s 60-kg and 70-kg finals, Iranian athletes Riki Alireza and Sahandi Hamidreza respectively tamed Xiao Bokun from China and Altunkaya Nusret Kayhan from Turkey, to emerge as as winners in their categories. 

After four days of captivating action, all the winners in different categories were named and awarded, followed by a Closing Ceremony that marked the end of the World University Wushu Championship. Wushu had first made it to the FISU sports programme during the 2017 Taipei Summer Universiade as a non-compulsory sport, but with this successful inaugural edition, it has begun its own legacy in the FISU calendar. 

You can find a round up of all results here.