Fong Ying Eyes Historic Third Gold In World Wushu Meet

KUALA LUMPUR: Wushu exponent Chai Fong Ying wants to create history by becoming the first Malaysian to win a third world championship gold medal in Turkey in September.

The Malaccan won her first gold medal in the taijiquan event in Hanoi in 2005 and retained the title in Beijing two years later. She failed to get among the medallists in her third outing in the biennial championships in Vancouver in 2009.

There are only two major assignments for Chai Fong next year, the other being the SEA Games in Indonesia in November.

The 24-year-old Fong Ying said that retaining the Asian Games title in the women’s taijiquan-taijijian combined events in Guangzhou last month had inspired her to go for a hat-trick in the world championships.

“I have also won the Asian title twice and believe that I have all the ability to win gold medals in bigger championships. I want to be the first Malaysian three-time world championship winner,” said Chai Fong, who delivered the first gold medal for Malaysia in the 16th edition of the Asiad in Guangzhou.

She added that she would return to Fuzhou next year to continue her training to achieve her goal in the world championships.

“The intense training in China have definitely helped me to become a better wushu exponent. Although the competition gets tougher in the biennial world meet, I hope to defy all odds to win it again,” said Fong Ying, who received an RM80,000 reward from the National Sports Council (NSC) for her golden effort in the Guangzhou Games.

“All my hard work in training paid off and I happy to receive (RM80,000) for a third time in my seven-year wushu career thus far.

“Winning in the world championships twice had brought me a total of RM80,000. I received the same amount for the gold medal in the 2006 Doha Asiad.”

Fong Ying is looking at claiming gold for a third time too in a third outing in the SEA Games after 2007 (Korat) and 2009 (Vientiane).

Wushu: Chee Zhong stakes claim for place in SEA Games squad

PETALING JAYA: Wushu exponent Koo Chee Zhong will be staking a claim for a place in the team for the Korat SEA Games after a standout performance for Malaysia in the Asian Junior Championships, which ended in Yeongju, South Korea, on Monday.

Chee Zhong bagged two individual gold medals in the boys’ Under-18 competitions – in nandao (broadsword) and nangun (stick). He also combined with Ong Shi Chuan and Ho Mun Hua to clinch another gold in the dual events.

Knocking on Korat door: Wushu exponent Koo Chee Zhong is eyeing a place in the SEA Games squad after exceptional performances at the recent Asian Junior Championships.

Chee Zhong also won a silver in the nanquan (southern style boxing) event. Another silver came from Shi Chuan in gunshu (cudgel) while Mun Hua was the bronze medallist in nangun.

Malaysia won two more bronze medals in the Under-14 competitions. Eleven-year-old Jessy Ng Zhao Xuan made an impressive debut by taking bronze in the girls’ taijiquan event. And Fong Foo Mun also finished in third place in qiangshu.

The 3-2-3 haul was one of the best showing by Malaysia in recent years and Chee Zhong stood out with his three-gold performance.

It was the second appearance in the championships for the Ipoh-born exponent. In Singapore two years ago, he won gold in nangun.

Chee Zhong, who will turn be 18 in two months’ time, is also one of the gold medallists for Malaysia in the World Juniors in Kuala Lumpur last year. He emerged as the nandao champion.

And national coach Yoong Thong Foong did not discount Chee Zhong’s chances of featuring in the SEA Games in December.

“Chee Zhong was the best performer for Malaysia in the Asian Juniors and he has again proved that he can excel outside the country. We will certainly consider him for the SEA Games,” said Thong Foong.

Of the 12 exponents in the Malaysian team, seven are from the national youth squad and the rest were selected from the national junior championships in Seremban last month.