Confusion stalls PH Wushu Sanda China team training

By Pigeon Lobien

BAGUIO CITY — Wushu Sanda members are still waiting for their flight to China where they will undergo a five-month training in preparation for the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), a team member from the Cordillera said on Wednesday.

“Hindi pa. Next month na daw po kami aalis (Not yet. We will leave maybe next month),” said the most celebrated of these warriors, Divine Wally, in a private message through Facebook to the Philippine News Agency.

The team remains grounded in Manila pending the final preparation for the members' accommodation and training arrangements.

Last June 2, while Daniel Parantac and the Wushu Taolu team departed for Fuzhian, China for their five-month training, Wally said: “Wala pa po kami sched(ule) punta ng China (We still do not have a schedule for China).”

The Wushu Sanda team trains at the Wuhan University in Hubei province, where Wally, who will leave with newbie member Gideon Padua, said they will meet their new coach. She did not identify the new coach.

"It will be at Wuhan University this time since our new coach is from there," said Wally, winner of the gold in the World Wushu Championship, World Cup of Wushu Sanda and SEAG.

The delay was reportedly due to the confusion in their accommodations, which the Wushu Federation of the Philippines is working on.

"They will follow after getting the approval where they will train," said the 28-year-old Parantac, who also won a silver and two bronze medals in the Wushu World Championship in 2013 and 2014.

Wushu is comprised of Taolu and Sanda.

Taolu involves martial art patterns, acrobatic movements, and techniques for which competitors are judged and given points according to specific rules.

On the other hand, Sanda, also known as Chinese boxing, combines full-contact kickboxing with close range and rapid successive punches and kicks.

Both the Taolu and Sanda athletes will train for a total of five months, while they are also set to compete in the 15th World Wushu Championship scheduled in October in Shanghai, China.

They will fly back to the Philippines in mid-November for the 2019 SEA Games scheduled late November and early December in various venues in the Philippines — in Metro Manila, New Clark City, Pampanga, Bulacan, among others. -- PNA