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Indonesian Wushu athletes to compete in China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-22 15:16

JAKARTA - As many as 50 Indonesian Wushu athletes, mostly junior athletes, to take part in the 8th Beijing International Wushu Invitational Tournament in China from July 24 to 27 at the Shijingshan Gymnasium, local media reported here Thursday.

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The biannual tournament, a prestigious event in China, where the sport originated, will feature a wide-range of competitions including changquan, nanquan, mulan, taijiquan, broadsword, straight sword, staff, spear as well as exhibition matches.

Most of Indonesian Wushu athletes came from the Jakarta-based Wushu school Inti Bayangan, which was the overall champion at the National Wushu Competition in early July in Jakarta when it collected nine gold medals.

"It is a great chance for our athletes to gain experience by joining an international competition. That's why Inti Bayangan sends as many athletes as it can, as long as the athletes have shown good performance so far," Ahmad Rivai, the former national Wushu athlete who now runs Inti Bayangan, was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying.

"The tournament allows participating athletes to represent themselves, their dojos (schools), their provinces or their nations. Inti Bayangan sends 26 athletes, mostly children, to represent the dojo's name.

This time we will contribute the greatest number of athletes from Indonesia."