Cheau Xuen pulls off a stunning double
The Malaysian wushu team are set to return with their best-ever performance in the Asian junior championships after securing three gold medals more in Macau yesterday.
And the toast of the team was Tai Cheau Xuen, who pulled off a stunning double with victories in the girls’ Under-18 nandao (broadsword) and nangun (cudgel).
The Negri Sembilan lass, who took silver in nanquan the previous day, finally emerged as a gold medallist in her third appearance in the Asian Juniors.
Her achievements in Macau saw her adding to her collection of two gold medals and a silver from the World Youth Championships in Bali last December.
The Wushu Federation of Malaysia secretary, Loong Chek Hock, said that Cheau Xuen had certainly put herself in the driver’s seat for selection in the squad for the Laos SEA Games in December.
“She has been consistent since last year and we are considering bringing her into the senior squad for the SEA Games,” he said.
Chek Hock added that the efforts of the exponent in the Asian Juniors was the best single day outing for Malaysia in a wushu championships.
After starting with bronze in boys’ Under-16 chanquan (northern style bare hands) on Monday, Yap Zheng Yan struck gold in daoshu (sword). Malaysia also bagged another three silvers and four bronzes yesterday.
The silver medallist were Foong Foo Mun (boys’ Under-18 taijijian), Phoon Eyin (girls’ Under-14 jianshu) and See Min (girls’ Under-14 nangun).
The 15-year-old See Min, who delivered the first gold medal for Malaysia on Monday, also bagged a bronze in nandao. The other bronze medallists were Ong Shi Chuan (boys’ Under-18 gunshu), Zheng Yan (boys’ Under-16 gunshu) and Eyin (girls’ Under-14 changquan).
With a total haul of 4-5-7 thus far, the current squad have surpassed the previous total of 3-2-3 achieved in the championships in Singapore two years ago.
