Ang Guat Lian (R) poses for a photo with her bronze medal, accompanied by national wushu coach Li Hui. Ang delivered Brunei's first medal at the 7th Asian Wushu Junior Championships after finishing third in the taijiquan (taiji fist) event yesterday. Picture: Courtesy of Li Hui
Brunei struck bronze in the opening day of the 7th Asian Wushu Junior Championships yesterday in the Philippines.
Ang Guat Lian delivered the first medal for the Sultanate after she finished third in the taijiquan (taiji fist) event at the Makati Coliseum.
Hong Kong won the gold followed by Vietnam with the silver.
Md Sufi Shayiran Roslan was also close to a podium finish in the nanquan (southern fist) even as he finished fourth.
National wushu coach Li Hui expressed delight with the result considering that his charges have to go through tough opposition.
"Competition from other contries in Asia are strong opponents. I am glad that the players get the results," said Li in an email.
Sufi's brothers Md Adi Sya'rani, Md Adi Salihin and Md Safiee Shayferan Roslan as well as the duo of Nur Batrisyia Ripin and Dk Nur Wardinna Pg Hj Aji are the others representing the Sultanate at the August 8-11 biennial tournament.
The team have been training year-long and underwent six sessions per week during Ramadhan.
Coach Li had previously said that he was not thinking about medals but instead is hoping that his athletes will be able to pick up as much knowledge as possible.
"This is a big tournament and our aim is to groom these young athletes," said Li in a previous report in The Brunei Times.
"My target is for them to gain as much as experience as possible.
"It will be good exposure for them and it should be an eye-opener," he added.
"I hope they will be able to see their weaknesses and learn from them.
"We will compare and observe the others who are competing and I hope that it gives them the motivation to get better," continued the Chinese national.
Brunei returned with one gold medal in the previous edition in Shanghai, China, two years ago after the duo of Lee YingShi and Karyn Ho Chia Yin claimed gold in the duilian event.
According to an earlier report in The Brunei Times, the Sultanate will be joined by hosts the Philippines Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Vietnam from the Southeast Asia region.
The other countries in the tournament are Afghanistan, China, Chinese-Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Macau, Nepal and Uzbekistan.
