The 4th World Junior Wushu Championships at Macau has drawn to a successful close. Brianna Chan of Ji Hong won 1 gold and 1 bronze medals for Canada! This is a major International Wushu Federation event hosted by the Macau Wushu Association at the Tap Seac Multi-sports Pavilion in Macau. Over 500 athletes from 43 countries competed in 35 Taolu and 12 Sanda venues.
At the Canadian Wushu Championships selection competition held earlier in August 24th and 25th this year, a team of 6 male and 6 females athletes was formed. Brianna Chan with the higher score in her category and winner of 3 gold medals joined the A group. 9-year old Brandon Luo with the second highest score and winner of 1 gold and 2 silver joined the male C group.
Master Jennifer Gu of Ji Hong College, a ten-time Canadian national Wushu coach, was among the team coaches leading the Canadian team to compete in this far-away city in southern China. After several days of intense and fierce competitions, Brianna Chan won a gold medal in Nanquan in the female group A category, and a bronze medal in Nandao. Brianna has won silver medals in Nanquan in the previous two world championships. To compete for gold in this championship, Brianna gave up her vacation travel plan and spent two months at the training camp at Ji Hong. On the last day of the tournament, on the strength of her solid basic skill and extraordinary performance, she won the appreciation of the adjudicators and over the many professional athletes from the Asian countries, took the gold medal in Nanquan and Bronze medal in Nandao.
Brandon Luo, the young athlete from Ji Hong sustained an injury in his leg muscles during practice. He insisted on competing despite the injury. This being his first world championship competition and hindered by the pain in his leg, he was not able to perform at his usual level in the Changquan in the male C group. However, in his second event, the Daoshu (Sabre), he performed brilliantly and was ranked seventh in this major world championship.