AIMING FOR TOP THREE: Felicia Ma Hui Qi practises the jianshu routine during a training session.
KUCHING: Sarawak junior exponent Felicia Ma Hui Qi is looking to do well in the 7th Asian Junior Wushu Championship in Manila, Philippines from Aug 5-14.
The 12-year-old student of Chung Hua Primary School No.4, who was one of the Sarawakians selected for national duty, is eyeing a top three finish in her international debut.
“I am both happy and excited to be selected for the Asian meet and I do hope to overcome my nervousness and any pressure during the competition,” she told the Borneo Post during a training session at MSNS Elite Wushu Training Centre at Jalan Kung Phin before departing to Kuala Lumpur for national training.
“I am hoping to get good results and finish among the top three in Girls C changquan and jianshu,” she declared.
Ma said she was surprised to get the call-up from the national coach as she only won silvers in Girls C changquan and qiangshu as well as a bronze in jianshu at the Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia (KPM) wushu championship in Ipoh, Perak last year.
“I would like to thank my coach Ling Ung Hee for her guidance and coaching for more than two years. I am also grateful to my parents for their staunch support and encouragement from my fellow trainees and teammates,” she said.
In preparation for the Asian meet, Ma said she had been training very hard since after the KPM championship.
She will be practising wushu at the Elite Centre from 7pm to 10:30pm every Monday to Friday and from 7am to 9:30am at SMK Kuching High every Saturday and from 2pm to 5pm at Kuching Civic Centre every Sunday.
The other Sarawakian in the national junior squad is 14-year-old Yong Arifah Khairul Kok from SMK Sungai Maong.
The national team will leave for Manila today.