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Not all types of Wushu will be competed in the Asian Games. In 2014 Incheon Asian Games, Wushu will be comprised of 2 major events: Taolu and Sanda.

Originally developed by the Chinese military after integrating traditional martial arts and modern combat fighting techniques, Sanda (散打) was born and today serves as an exciting free-fighting combat sport. The simple concept of Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) is two-people fighting without the use of any weapons. It can be traced back to its roots in the 1920’s, when the Guomingdang (China Nationalist Party) established the Huangpu Military Academy (formerly known as Whampoa) in Guangdong, China to form a modern military force.

Since its strategic alliance with the Soviet Union, the academy emulated the Soviet methods of military training and then adapted it to the hand-to-hand combat training in the military force. Today, it has evolved a bit and has become more of a self-defense system. Today, it is the national combat sport in China for martial arts and fighting competitions. It has also been selected to be one of the sports Asian Games since 1998.

Sanda, or Sanshou is a calisthenics sport that employs 4 key ranges of combat: ti (kicks), da (punches), shuai (throws) and chin-na (seizing). In fact, it stresses the joint use of punches, sweeps, grabs, and throws in a very unique way. In accordance with the Rules for International Wushu Sanda Competition, head, elbow, knees, and twisting the opponent’s joints, are strictly prohibited in the Asian Games for safety reasons. In the 17th Incheon Asian Games, there will be 5 Sanda categories for men: 56kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg and 75kg whereby women’s Sanda category is comprised of 52kg and 60kg weight divisions only. Also, the Sanda competitions held will be based on the knock-out system; the winner of each round continues to fight to win.

During the competition, the fighters must wear an internationally adapted set of equipment, which include boxing gloves, head gear, and chest protectors specified by the organizer. The weight of boxing gloves shall be 230 grams for 65kg category and under, including the women category; 280 grams for the 70kg category and above. However, the contestants have to use their own gum shields and cup protectors (under their trunks). Female fighters are allowed to wear close-fitting undergarments.

Some notable Sanda practitioners include Zhang Tie Quan, Bao Li Gao and the “Conqueror of Muay Thai” Liu Hailong as well as the famous American fighter – Cung Le. Sanda was being featured in action movies and TV series like the Police Story 2013, Kung Fu Fighter, Ip Man, Four Dragons (Kinta 1881) and so on.

Sanda is very similar to kickboxing or Muay Thai which also includes kicking range, striking range, and the takedown range in its use of different techniques. Sanda is a close combat system that will have fierce competition in the upcoming Asian Games in Incheon. It is deemed as one of the rising sports in the future as it not only improves physical qualities such as responsiveness, sensitivity, flexibility, strength, and endurance, but also people’s health both physically and mentally. Catch the exciting and dynamic full-contact fighting this September as Korea hosts the 17th Asian Games in Incheon!

The official 2014 Incheon Asian Games Writer ‘IAG-Crew’ ㅣKit Yee Thoong

What springs to your mind when someone mentions “Wushu”? Thoughts of many Chinese martial arts movies such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, or “IP Man” or even famous actors like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen might come about. Although this practice has been glamorized by the film industry, there is a rich history and tradition in this sport that originates from China.

Wushu directly translates to “martial arts” and was first developed in 1949 to standardize traditional Chinese military practices. Often considered as one of China’s best kept secrets, this art form has not gained practitioners from all over the world but is growing in popularity. What began as a method of survival from China’s incessant wars and political upheavals, has transformed in modern times as a means of enhancing one’s health, improve self-defense skills, mental discipline, and also recreational competition. Wushu has been featured in the Asian Games since 1990 which took place in Beijing, China.

Two Types of Wushu in 2014 Incheon Asian Games

Not all types of Wushu will be competed in the Asian Games. In 2014 Incheon Asian Games, Wushu will be comprised of 2 major events: Taolu and Sanda.

Taolu (套路) is a routine contest that combines gymnastics and martial arts. Stance, sweeps, jumps, kicks, throw, punches and balances are some of the movements that can be changed according to the martial arts style as well as to highlight one’s strength. The lists of Taolu events include 4 categories for men and 4 categories for women as follows: Men – Changquan, Nanquan/ Nangun All-Round, Taijiquan/ Taijijian All-Round, Daoshu/ Gunshu All-Round and Women – Changquan, Nanquan/ Nandao All-Round, Taijiquan/ Taijijian All-Round, Jianshu/ Qiangshu All-Round.

Changquan

Generally known as Long Fist Kung Fu, Changquan (长拳) is often characterized by its acrobatic yet speedy positions. The coordination of eyes, hands, body, and the steps are as smooth as slithering snakes and as aggressive as raging waves on the sea. Here are the 11 essential movements of Changquan to note:

1. Gongbu (front or bow stance)
2. Xubu (empty stance)
3. Pubu (crouch stance)
4. Tantui (snap kick)
5. Chuaitui (sideward sole kick)
6. Housaotui (back sweep)
7. Dingzhou (elbow strike)
8. Koutuipingheng (cross-leg balance)
9. Quan (fist techniques)
10. Zhang (palm)
11. Gou (hook)

Nanquan

Nanquan （南拳）is a modern boxing or fist style from Southern China that was originated from a variety of traditional Chinese martial arts styles: Hong Jia Quan (Hung Family Boxing), Liu Jia Quan (Liu Family Boxing), Cai Li Fo (Choy Lay Fut), Hu He Shuang Xing Quan (Tiger and Crane Boxing), Mo Jia Quan (Mo Family Boxing), and Hakka Quan (Hakka Boxing). Its history can be traced back to Ming Dynasty (1368 –1644) when it was developed to train the soldiers. Nanquan is a hard and aggressive martial art as contrary to Taijiquan. It involves energetic wushu jumps, low stances, and extensive hand techniques that are often accompanied by shouts. As opposed to Changquan, Nanquan consists of weapon styles called Nangun (Southern Cudgel) and Nandao (Southern Broadsword). There are eight major techniques that are featured throughout the performance of Nanquan:

1. Diebu (Butterfly stance)
2. Qilinbu (Unicorn-riding stance)
3. Qilongbu (Dragon-riding stance)
4. Guagaiquan (Downward strike with crossed fist)
5. Paoquan (Uppercut)
6. Hengdingtui (Side nail kick or roundhouse kick)
7. Huzhao (Tiger’s claw)
8. Gunqiao (Rolling forearm)

The Nanquan/Nangun (Men) & Nanquan/Nandao (Women) were crowned by Huang Guangyuan from China (left) and Lin Fan from China (right) in 2010 Asian Games:

Nandao

Nandao (南刀) or “Southern Broadsword” is a light-weight, steel martial art weapon. It is believed to be developed during the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) for training purposes by local peasants and rebels. Today, the weapon is designed for easier maneuver and gripping. Nandao was established in 1992 and introduced in International Kung Fu Championships. Its techniques are more fluid, flowing and elegant as compared to the Northern Broadsword, or also known as Dao. The 8 vital Nandao techniques comprised of:
1. Chantou (twine broadsword around the head)
2. Guonao (wrap broadsword around the head)
3. Pidao (chop with broadsword)
4. Modao (move broadsword horizontally)
5. Gedao (block with broadsword)
6. Jiedao (intercept with broadsword)
7. Saodao (sweep with broadsword)
8. Jian Wan Hua Dao (move broadsword with scissors wrist)

Nangun

Nangun（南棍）or “Southern Cudgel” is one of the ‘long’ weapon routines in wushu that has a thicker cudgel. Its movements emphasize on hitting and delivering bone-breaking power, as opposed to the cutting and swinging techniques of the Northern Cudgel. Contrary to the Northern Cudgel, Nangun practitioners use both ends of the cudgel. You are able to spot a few significant movements of Nangun during the many competition as follows:

1. Pigun (chop with cudgel)
2. Benggun (tilt cudgel)
3. Jiaogun (envelopment with cudgel)
4. Gunyagun (roll together with cudgel)
5. Gegun (block with cudgel)
6. Jiqun (strike with cudgel)
7. Dinggun (push up cudgel)
8. Paogun (throw cudgel)
9. Buxing (stances)

It is no surprise that China has created some of the world’s most ancient and interesting martial arts. Wushu consists of a variety of different practices with not only your body but with specialized weaponry as well. Since its creation, it has widely been practiced for self defense reasons but also for recreational and competitive ones. It will surely be one of the most exciting sports that will be part of the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. Be sure to tune into the Games this fall and witness the graceful but powerful moves this sport will display.

The official 2014 Incheon Asian Games Writer ‘IAG-Crew’ ㅣKit Yee, Thoong

Unlike most of the Asian Games participating countries, Malaysia has no specific national sport. As a matter of fact, sports in Malaysia are a mixture of traditional and Western games due to its diversity of cultures. Badminton, football, hockey, rugby, and sepak takraw are some of the unofficial sports commonly played in this country. Although there is no national sport clearly, they are serious contenders for numerous sports that will take place at the 2014 Asian Games.

Crew Report on Top Medal Contenders at Incheon Asian Games

An all-time badminton ace from Georgetown, Penang, Lee earned his world number one title upon his triumph at the Commonwealth Games 2006 in Melbourne, Australia and Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi, India. With an astounding record of over 199 consecutive weeks of winning since 21 August 2008, he reached the top of the rankings, and defeated badminton heavyweight Lin Dan.

Lee may even be Malaysia’s most prominent Olympian. He has claimed a multitude of gold medal finishes in many championship matches all over Asia. The 31 year old Lee has hinted that he might put an end to his career after the Asian Games this year, but fans can only find out his final decision, after the results of this important competition. With this rumor spreading quickly, he is one of the most anticipated players to compete in badminton this year.

As the first Asian woman to accomplish world No. 1 ranking in women’s squash for over seven years now, Nicol Ann David is also a Malaysian native born in Penang. She began playing squash at the age of 5, when squash wasn’t very popular in country. However, she was lucky enough to engage in the sport when the country’s national council started to provide funding to different sports, one of the sports included was squash and it got popular after it became a core sport in the Commonwealth Games in 1998.

David began to climb in the international rankings during her teen years. She was bestowed the Datuk title, the youngest Datukship recipient in Penang for her significant contributions and achievements received. Recently, the Queen of Squash just took the gold medal in the Cleveland Classic in 2014, and the J.P Morgan Tournament of Champions in 2014. Incredibly, the recent victory marks her 73rd Women’s Squash Association (WSA) Tour title from her 92nd career final. Some of her remarkable achievements include winnings in the British Open title in 2005, ’06, ’08, and ’12. The list doesn’t end there, with more winnings in the World Open title a total of seven consecutive wins. She is one to be on the lookout this year many are assuming she is more prepared than ever.

Malaysia’s latest rising star is Pandela Rinong, already an Olympic star. She was pinned the Gold Medal for Olympic diving, and was recognized as the first ever medalist from Malaysia to receive a medal in a sport other than badminton. She is also the recipient of the gold in the Southeast Asian Games in 2007, 2009, and even 2011. She also proved her dominance in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. As a K-pop fanatic, Pandela is eagerly awaiting to visit the country of South Korea not only for their pop music, but to reclaim the gold.

Malaysia is quickly on the rise to being recognized as a nation that is home to many world class athletes. They are a gold medalist from an array of different sports, and have produced champions that are both male and female. Tune into the 2014 Asian Games in Korea to witness history in the making!

The official 2014 Incheon Asian Games Writer ‘IAG-Crew’ ㅣKit Yee Thoong

Introducing the hard-core cycling competition, Le Tour de Langkawi 2014! The Le Tour De Langkawi is an action packed event for all cycling aficionados from around the world. This major cycling race has been amongst the biggest events outside Europe since its inception in 1996. This year will mark the 19th anniversary of the race and this time and is currently underway at Langkawi till March 8th.

Le Tour de Langkawi is Asia’s premier cycling function and covers an astounding distance of 1507.9km over 10 different stages. Participants gather from around the globe to ride through each of the states of West Malaysia, that include Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Malacca, Pahang, Terengganu and finally the capital city, Kuala Lumpur.

Endorsed by the Interational Cycling Union (ICU), the event categorizes as a 2HC race, which signifies the Le Tour de Langkawi as a multi-day and multi-stage race. This year’s tagline is “The Heat Is Back” referring to the time this tournament will take place, which is during the dangerous tropical heat and high level of difficulty along the course. Participants should be aware that this level of intensity is infrequent in most competitions that take place all around the continent.

The race kicks off in the paradise-like Langkawi, which covers a total of 101.1km and is the home of many previous Le Tour de Langkawi races. The “Queen Stage” refers to the ascension towards the peak of the Genting Highlands and is classified as a level 4 stage due to its arduousness. If participants are struggling with this phase then they are all in for a great awakening as the following 6 stages prove to be equally if not more challenging!

Other significant stages involve the extensive 230.1km coastal route in stage 7, which is the 2nd longest stage in Le Tour de Langkawi history. Each of the stages from 6 to 9 average a grueling distance of 200km per day which will surely make or break the challengers and truly test their level of athleticism and sheer willpower.

The 19th annual Le Tour de Langkawi is sure to be one of the most exciting events ever. As of January 23rd, more than 22 qualified teams have confirmed their participation in the race, 5 of which are amongst the most prestigious cycling crews in the world. Team Europcar hailing from France, is one of the only squads that was recently upgraded from a Pro Continental rank to World Tour status. Eyes are set on the reigning champion of the World Tour Race of Poland, Team Orica Green Edge’s Peter Weening, whom many predict will be a strong contender in this year’s competition.

The list of teams represents countries from around the planet. Notable crews include KSPO from Korea, Aisan Racing from Japan, Giang-Champion System from China, and OCBC from Singapore amongst many other experienced professionals. The national teams represented in the race include Malaysia, Indonesia, and Hong Kong.

Catch all the thrills as the top cyclists pedal through striking and treacherous terrain on the island of Langkawi. Part of the action will be broadcasted from the largest man made lake in Southeast Asia, the Kenyir Lake, and serves to be one of the more exciting stages of the Le Tour de Langkawi. With the top teams gathering from all over to compete in this race, it’s sure to be memorable and extremely exciting so make sure you tune in!

The official 2014 Incheon Asian Games Writer ‘IAG-Crew’ ㅣKit Yee

Malaysia is a small country that is surrounded by Thailand and Singapore in the west, Indonesia and Brunei in the east. It is the only country with territory on both the Asian mainland and the Malay Archipelago. Although Malaysia is steered towards the ASEAN especially with the neighboring countries, its bilateral relations with other countries across the continents are no less important too. Being one of the most significant thoroughfares in international trade, it carries about 40% of the world’s trade from the Strait of Malacca, which lies between Sumatra and Malaysia. This area plays a significant role in the global commerce scene. Some of the long established trading partners include the Republic of Korea, Japan, the European Union, the USA, and Australia.

This article is written by an official member of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games bloggers, IAG Crew. Some contents might be different from official position of the Organizing Committee. 

Sports play a crucial role in uniting and fostering better relationships among the countries around the world. It can also act as a catalyst for state development and to create new economic opportunities. Nothing cultivates a sense of shared national identity better than the country that hosts such a large international sporting event. Despite Malaysia’s declaration of independence in 1957, its first participation in the Asian Games can be traced back to 1954 in Manila. Malaysia contested under the name of “The Federation of Malaya”, and this title existed from 1948 to 1963. It was reconstituted as “Malaysia” with the addition of Singapore, North Borneo (currently known as Sabah), and Sarawak. However Malaysia did not manage to get a hold of any medals during their first attempt.

It was one of the most glorious achievements Malaysia ever achieved in 2006, at the Doha Asian Games at Qatar, where they achieved great success. Malaysia managed to acquire 42 medals (8 gold, 17 silver, and 17 bronze) and ranked 11th among 45 participating countries.

Malaysia also actively takes part in several other Asian sporting events such as the Asian Winter Games, and the Asian Youth Games in recent times. Although the country experiences summer year round and training for winter sports seems almost impossible, the country made its debut for the ice hockey category in the 2007 Changchun Asian Winter Games in China. Malaysia hosted the 2013 Asian Youth Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, an event first established in 2009 in Tokyo, Japan for young athletes with physical disabilities to partake in.

In 2011, the Malaysian government has designated the year as the “Year of Sports Industry” and the Minister of Youth and Sports has stressed its importance and significance. The government began to explore the viability of hosting major global sporting events. In recent years, the country has hosted several international gatherings including the Malaysia Super Series, the Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold, the Malaysia Open Tennis Games, along with many others.

The 2014 Incheon Games is rapidly approaching and as the time gets closer and closer, a shocking event has come about – Vietnam withdrew from hosting the Asian Games in 2019 in the city of Hanoi. The Olympic Council of Malaysia’s Secretary General Datuk Sieh Kok Chi then expressed that Malaysia will consider replacing Vietnam as the hosts for the 2019 Asian Games if possible. Only time will tell if this bid gets approved along with another bidding to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup as well! Malaysia is a country that continues to focus on growth in the sports sector and it will be exciting to see their performance during the 2014 Asian Games!

The official 2014 Incheon Asian Games Writer ‘IAG-Crew’ ㅣThoong Kit Yee