(Above) A national wushu exponent
attended a training session at the
Multipurpose Hall of the Menglait
Sports Complex last week. Her
teammates Harris Adli Peranchis
(top) as well as siblings Isa and
Ismi Bismi (center) are all training
hard for their upcoming tournaments
despite this being a fasting month.
Pictures: BT/Infofoto

Wushu exponents work hard for world meet and Asian Games

The national wushu team are hoping that continuous training during the fasting month of Ramadhan will give them an edge in competitions scheduled throughout the rest of the year.

The team who are preparing for the 4th World Traditional Wushu Championships in Hubei, China, in October before heading off to the 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, in November train at the Multipurpose Hall of the Menglait Sports Complex everyday, except Thursdays, from 3pm to 5pm during Ramadhan.

The wushu exponents have also circled the month of December on their calendars when they will be competing in the 3rd World Junior Wushu Championships in Singapore.

The team had been plagued with injuries prior to the 13th Malaysia Games (Sukma), contested in June in Melaka, due to the lack of proper carpeting.

However, the arrival of the wushu carpet weeks before thecompetition have been put to good use so far.

"The carpet is excellent and it has allowed us to do the high difficulty jumps that we want for training," national wushu coach Li Hui told The Brunei Times during an interview recently.

"We're also planning to start with the selection for the SEA (Southeast Asian) Games next year. The athletes are showing good improvement as well," said Li.

Li is focussing on the Southern Fist (Nan Quan), Southern Sword (Nan Dao) and Long Fist (Chang Quan) for the women's team while Nan Quan and Southern Staff (Nangun) for the men's for the upcoming competitions.

He added that selected exponents would also be given opportunities to train outside of the country in October.

"We're planning to select some of the athletes to train intensively at Guangzhou, China, for about a month or two," said Calvin Ang, the deputy-secretary of the Wushu Federation of Brunei Darussalam (WFBD).

"This will allow them to get more exposure on the international standard of training and hopefully help them to learn more. Their equipment is also more readily available compared to what we have here," he added.

Under the recommendation of the WFBD and their coach, the Department of Youth and Sports had sent five Brunei wushu athletes siblings Isa and Ismi Bismi as well as Harris Adli Peranchis, and two female athletes, the duo of Faustina Woo Wai Sii and Lee Ying Shi to take part in a one-month training programme in Chong Qin, China, last September.

The programme bore fruit when the national wushu team won two medals during last December's SEA Games in Laos.

Woo and Lee gave Brunei their lone silver in Laos when they finished second in the women's Duilian (doubles broadsword and spear) event.

The duo, bronze medallists in the 3rd Asian Indoor Games, garnered 9.45 points in the event to share the silver medal with Vietnam's Vu Tra My and Vu Thuy Linh, who also got the same score from the panel of judges.

Singapore's Khor Poh Chin, Tao Yi Jun and Tay Yu Juan scored 9.46 points to clinch the gold.

Wushu also took one bronze in the men's Duilian (spear and wrestling cudgel) event after twins Isa and Ismi scored 9.20 points to finish in a tie with Malaysia's Ng Say Yoke and Yeap Wai Kin for third place.

Anousonne Sasabo, Bountang Song and Siamphone Kongmary of Laos earned 9.50 points to take the gold medal while Indonesia's Aldy Lukman and Johannes Sie scored 9.40 points to clinch the silver.

With plenty of major tournaments coming up hopefully the planned China trip in October will help Brunei produce more medals.

Courtesy from Brunei Times