In full stretch: National wushu
athletes training in Shanghai. The
team, which won four gold,
silver and bronze medals
during the Xinjing International
Wushu Tournament in May,
return home today. Picture:
Courtesy of Li Hu

THE national wushu team will definitely be returning to the Sultanate stronger.

The Wushu Federation of Brunei Darussalam (WFBD) had sent six of its athletes to Shanghai, China for intensive training from April 30 and they will be arriving home today.

This is the tie up between both countries after Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Paduka Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports visited China in November last year and met with the Shanghai sports authority.

Harris Adli Peranchis, Faustina Woo Wai Sii, Lee YingShi, Karyn Ho Chia Yin and brothers Mohd Adi Syarani and Mohd Sufi Shayiran Roslan accompanied by national wushu coach Li Hui made it through the 40-day stint at the Shanghai Sports Centre.

Being shortlisted as one of the sports to fly the flag for Brunei at the 26th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Indonesia in November, the aim of the intensive training is to improve chances of winning medals at the said competition.

"The athletes had a tough time here (in China) but good improvement can be seen," said Li Hui in an email yesterday.

"We would like to thank the Youth and Sports Department (under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports), Chinese Embassy based in Brunei and the Wushu Federation of Brunei Darussalam it making things possible for us," he added.

According to the Chinese native, the athletes underwent two training sessions daily: 8.45-11.45 in the morning and 2.45-6:00 in the afternoon.

During their stint in China, the team also competed at the Xinjing International Wushu Tournament from may 13-15 whereby they did the country proud by bagging four gold, four silver and four bronze medals.

Woo was the biggest winner for Brunei at the tournament with two gold medals from nandao (southern broad sword) and nanquan (southern fist) events. She also bagged a silver together with partner Lee in the duilian (duo sparring with broadsword and spear) event. Lee managed a bronze to her name in the changquan (long fist) event.

Md Sufi won the country's first gold when he took the changquan title and he added a bronze in the daoshu (sword) category.

The other gold medal came from Ho after she won the changquan discipline. She added a bronze medal in the jianshu (swordplay) event.

Md Adi pocketed two silver medals in the changquan and jianshu (swordplay) events while Harris won silver and bronze in nangun (southern cudgel) and in nanquan respectively.

The side is also expected to compete in the 6th Asian Junior Wushu Championships in Shanghai from Aug 17-21 and the 11th World Wushu Championships in Turkey from Oct 6-15.

Courtesy from Brunei Times