File photo shows Basma Lachkar competing during a tournament. PHOTO: INTERNATIONAL WUSHU FEDERATION
Brunei Darussalam wushu exponent Basma Lachkar performs during the 3rd World Taolu World Cup. PHOTO: INTERNATIONAL WUSHU FEDERATION
Brunei Darussalam’s wushu stars have been nominated for the 2024 International Wushu Federation (IWUF) Athlete of the Year Awards after the world governing body IWUF announced the commencement of public voting for the finalists this week.
The shortlisted national athletes are the country’s leading female wushu athlete Basma Lachkar who has been selected as a candidate for Female Wushu Taolu Athlete of the Year; Wan Xin Lim for Female Wushu Taolu Rising Star of the Year; Abel Wee Yuen Lim for Male Wushu Taolu Rising Star of the Year.
Basma enjoyed another year of podium success after winning multiple golds at the World Games Series in Hong Kong last October and both the Asian University Wushu Championship in Harbin, China and ASEAN University Games in Malang, Indonesia last June.
The wushu exponent also won bronze in the World Taijiquan Championships at the OCBC Arena in Singapore last August.
She will be up against China’s Xin Tong, Singapore’s Zeanne Law, Iran’s Zahra Kiani, Hong Kong’s Hui Yu Lydia Sham, Japan’s Shiho Saito, China’s Dandan Dai, Ukraine’s Oryna Ivanova, France’s Juliette Vauchez and Egypt’s Malak Ebrahim Mohamed for the prestigious accolade.
Meanwhile, Wan Xin Lim secured silver in the Girl’s Nandao ‘B’ event at the 9th World Junior World Championships on home soil last September, behind Indonesia’s Agni Agustine Dimonim and ahead of Iran’s Sana Chek.
The promising starlet faces stiff competition from the likes of China’s Zhixuan Deng, New Zealand’s Annie Harris, Singapore’s Charlotte Leting Ng, Canada’s Lia Tang Ruggiero; Hong Kong’s King Ham Wang and Japan’s Yurino Imai.
Brunei’s young male talent Abel Wee Yuen Lim’s most recent achievement came in the 3rd Taolu World Cup in Yokohama, Japan last November after winning gold in the Men’s Duilian event together with his teammate Majdurano Joel Majallah Sain.
The pair enjoyed a spot at the top of the podium ahead of Philippines’ Vincent Ventura, Mark Lester Ragay and Mark Anthony Polo who claimed silver and Spain’s Aldan Pose Martinez, Victor De La Plaza Schnieper and Nestor Urzainqui Milla.
He also bagged bronze in the Boy’s Nandao ‘A’ event at the last edition of the World Junior World Championships, finishing behind Indonesia’s Lawrence Dean Kurnia and Malaysia’s Guan Sheng Sing.
He has Singapore’s Xin Yun Chua only for company for the right to earn the award. – Fadhil Yunus
