KUCHING: Three Sarawakians are among the 18 junior wushu exponents nationwide called up for a five-day training cum selection to the national squad for the World Junior Wushu Championship in Hong Kong next March.
SELECTION CALL-UP: Elvic (squatting), Sean (left) and Audrey posing with Ting and coach Ling Ung Hee at WFS premises in Tabuan Laru.
They are national junior Elvic Bong Qian Zheng, Sean Chai Wei Jea and Audrey Chan Yee Jo.
The trio were selected based on their excellent performance at the National Junior Wushu Championship (KPM) inKuala Lumpurlast month.
“I received the letter from the secretary Ong Kim Swee of the Wushu Federation of Malaysia a few days ago and this is yet another achievement forSarawakwushu,” said Wushu Lion and Dragon Dance Federation of Sarawak (WFS) secretary James Ting.
He said exponents from seven states received the call-up namely Melaka (5), Negeri Sembilan (4),Sarawak(3), Pulau Pinang (3), and one each from Johor, Perak, and Pahang.
“It will be good for Sarawak if the three can make it to the national team because it will be a good advantage for us in the next Sukma in Pahang where Audrey will be competing and for our teams to Sukma 2014 and 2016,” Ting said yesterday.
He was very confident that Elvic would get the nod as he is presently the best performer in his age category.
This is the third time that the 12-year-old from SJK Chung Hua No. 4 has been called up to attend national training.
Elvic, who started taking up wushu in August 2009, has represented the country at two international competitions.
He bagged a silver in qiangshu and finished fifth in changquan at the Asia Junior Wushu Championship inShanghai,Chinain August this year.
In his international debut at the World Junior Wushu Championship inSingaporelast year, Elvic did well to finish fifth in qiangshu and ninth in changquan.
He captured his first gold medals in jianshu and qiangshu in the Sarawak Wushu Championship in 2009 and also won the silver in the changquan.
With this excellent performance, Elvic was selected as a state representative to the National Junior Wushu Championship the following year where he won gold in jianshu and qiangshu, and silver in the changquan.
In the same year, he won four golds in the Sarawak Wushu Championship through the changquan, jianshu, qiangshu and team events as well as a silver in duilian. Elvic won gold in the changquan and qiangshu and a bronze in jianshu at the National Junior Wushu Championship (KPM) this year.
Bound for SMK Kuching next year, Elvic is not only good in wushu but also in his studies, having scored 1A, 3Bs and 2Cs in his UPSR.
He also received the Best Athlete Award and Best Co-Curriculum Student Award from his school.
Meanwhile, 15-year-old Sean Chai, who hails from Miri and is now studying at SMK DPHA Gapor Stampin, started practising wushu in Miri four years ago.
At the beginning of 2009, he was transferred to Kuching to train under the development programme as a backup athlete.
He won three golds at the Sarawak Wushu Championship last year in taijijian, taijiquan and team event and was a silver medallist in taijiquan and bronze medallist in taijjian at the National Junior Wushu Championship.
This year, Sean bettered his achievement by grabbing the gold in taijijian and silver in taijiquan at the National Junior Wushu Championship (KPM).
As for Audrey, who is a student of SMK Jalan Arang, also comes with a good track record.
The 14-year-old from Kuching won two bronzes in taijijian and taijiquan at the Asia Junior Wushu Championship inShanghaithis year.
She did not take part in the National Junior Wushu Championship this year because she wanted to focus on her preparation for the National Open Wushu Championship next month.
Audrey’s achievements in 2010 were one silver (taijijian) and one bronze (taijiquan) at the National Junior Wushu Championship, two golds (taijijian and taijiquan) at the National Day Martial Arts Championship and two golds (taijijian and taijiquan) at the Sarawak Wushu Championship.
In 2009, she won two golds (taijijian and taijiquan) at the National Day Martial Arts Championship.
Audrey started competing in wushu competitions in 2008 where she won three golds (taijijian, taijiquan and team) at the Sarawak Wushu Championship, two golds (taijijian and taijiquan) at the National Day Martial Arts Championship, and one gold (taijiquan) and one silver (taijijian) at the National Junior Wushu Championship.