Sports ‘Biggest Wushu event in Macau’ kicks off

The Eighth Edition of the Macau International Wushu Festival kicked off yesterday at an opening ceremony presided over by the Chairman of the Macau Chinese National Traditional Sports Association, Ambrose So.

At the event held at the Macau Polytechnic Institute Multisport Pavilion, So said, “the Macau International Wushu Festival is one of the biggest Wushu events in Macau and even the world.”

“The art, discipline, and skill shown in the contests are the keys to passing on the spirit and essentials of our traditional culture of Wushu while promoting its enormous vitality and appeal to the world.”
So was speaking in front of the several delegations of athletes that will compete until July 26 in different championships such as Wushu Taolu, Wushu Sanda, Jeet Kune Do, Short Weapon Fighting, Health Qigong and Taekwondo.

According to the organizer, the event welcomes over 2,000 athletes, coaches and managers organized in over 160 teams and representing 11 countries and regions, including the United States, France, India, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, China, as well as Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Also at the opening speech, the Chairman noted the importance of the martial art saying, “Wushu is a treasure of our traditional Chinese culture and a manifestation of our belief that ‘man is an integral part of nature’.”

The organizers have said that the event, now its eighth edition, has established itself as a top-level Wushu platform, strengthening exchange and cooperation among the Chinese and overseas communities that go beyond the competition itself and spread through a series of forums attended by Wushu masters around the world.
Furthermore, it aims to encourage international Wushu exchanges, enhance friendships and skills, as well as advocate the morality and popularize the sport and culture of Wushu.

As in previous editions, the event has the title sponsorship of the Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, S.A. and also includes a mobile photography contest for secondary school students.