Beijing 2008 Wushu Competition

BEIJING, 20 August – Day One of the Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 begins Thursday, with two Taolu Gold medals on offer in the Men's combined Daoshu (broadsword) and Gunshu (staff) competitions, and in the Women's Changquan (open fist) tournament. 

 

Preliminary bouts in the Sanshou competition also kick off on Thursday with fights in the Women's 52kg and 60kg categories and in the Men's 56kg and 70kg categories.

 

 

Men's Daoshu and Gunshu combined:

 

• China's ZHAO Qingjian is expected to twirl and parry his way to Gold in the combined Daoshu and Gunshu, but can expect fierce competition from JIA Rui (MAC) and HSIAO Yung-Sheng (TPE). Vietnam's Duc Trong TRAN also has a chance to medal. 

Women's Changquan:

 

• Daria TARASOVA (RUS) is the Gold medal favourite in Women's Changquan, having finished first at the Ninth World Wushu Championships in Beijing in 2007. XI Cheng Qing (MAC) and SUSYANA (INA) are also highly ranked and will be pushing for an upset. 

Women's Qiangshu (spear):

 

• MA Lingjuan (CHN) will be the one to watch, followed closely by HAN Jing (MAC), who at 35 years old is the competition's oldest competitor, and Tenyia LEE (USA).

Men's Nanquan (southern fist):

 

• With no Chinese entry in this event, competition will be stiff. The Philippines' Willy WANG will be hoping to hang on to his first place ranking but will be challenged by PUI Fook Chien (MAS) and Stanislav GALKIN (RUS).

Women's Nandao (southern broadsword):

 

• China's LIN Fan is the clear favourite in this event, having won 11 Gold medals in the last 12 competitions she has entered. 

 

Sanshou

 

Women's 52kg

 

• There is only one fight in this category on Thursday.  KIM A-ri (KOR) will take on Romanian wildcard entrant Cristina Aurelia TOPORASTE. The winner of the bout will meet favourite QIN Lizi (CHN) on Friday.

Women's 60kg

 

• The field is wide open in the Women's 60kg category and favourites Zahra KARIMI VARDANJANI (IRI) and Mariane MARIANO (PHI) will have to be in top form to prevent an upset.
• Current world champion LUONG Thi Hoa (VIE) gets to sit this round out having drawn a bye. 

Men's 56kg

 

• Sanan HAGVERDIYEV (AZE) meets Panyawut KONGKLIANG (THA) in the only fight in this weight division on Thursday. 

Men's 70kg

• Favourite CAI Liangchan (MAC) is expected to defeat Traian Augustin RUS (ROU) and move on to the next round.
• 2007 Silver medallist YOON Soon-Myung (KOR) will face an in-form and medal-hungry Maximilian CHEN (USA) in what is expected to be a tough bout.

 

Zhao Qingjian of China performs during men's Daoshu (broadsword play) of the Beijing 2008 Wushu Competition in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Zhao Qingjian ranked first in men's Daoshu competition with a score of 9.85. (Xinhua/Liu Lihang)

 

Hsiao Yung-Sheng of Chinese Taipei performs during men's Daoshu (broadsword play) of the Beijing 2008 Wushu Competition in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Hsiao Yung-Sheng ranked 7th in men's Daoshu competition with a score of 9.50. (Xinhua/Liu Lihang)

 

 

Chen Shao-Chi of Chinese Taipei performs during women's Qiangshu (spear play) of the Beijing 2008 Wushu Competition in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Chen Shao-Chi ranked 4th in women's Qiangshu competition with a score of 9.50. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

 

Evgeniya Ragulina of Kazakhstan performs during women's Qiangshu (spear play) of the Beijing 2008 Wushu Competition in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Evgeniya Ragulina ranked 5th in women's Qiangshu competition with a score of 9.44. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

 

Ma Lingjuan of China performs during women's Qiangshu (spear play) of the Beijing 2008 Wushu Competition in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Ma Lingjuan ranked 1st in women's Qiangshu competition with a score of 9.85. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

 

 

Pui Fook Chien of Malaysia performs during men's Nanquan (southern fist) of the Beijing 2008 Wushu Competition in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Pui Fook Chien ranked 2nd in men's Nanquan competition with a score of 9.72. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

 

Zhao Qingjian of China performs during men's Daoshu (broadsword play) of the Beijing 2008 Wushu Competition in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Zhao Qingjian ranked 1st in men's Daoshu competition with a score of 9.85. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

 

Andrzej Topczewski of Poland performs during men's Daoshu (broadsword play) of the Beijing 2008 Wushu Competition in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Andrzej Topczewski ranked 9th in men's Daoshu competition with a score of 9.25. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

 

Andrii Koval of Ukraine performs during men's Daoshu (broadsword play) of the Beijing 2008 Wushu Competition in Beijing, China, Aug. 21, 2008. Andrii Koval ranked 8th in men's Daoshu competition with a score of 9.35. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)