[original text by ZZ, edits by Ben ©
2013]
On Sunday 25 August, MUTW competed in the annual WTPA Wushu
and Taichi Competition, held this year at Monash University Clayton.
Until 2013, most of the competitors we sent were senior club members, but
this year it was junior ranks filling out our team.
In her opening address, WTPA President Tara Brayshaw spoke
on the long history of Chinese martial arts and the discipline, humility, and
righteousness that can be found in dedicated training. The ceremony
concluded with a lion dance, dazzling the audience with feats of acrobatic
strength. The best was yet to come.
For many of our juniors, it was their first time competing
at a state-level wushu event, so as they set foot in the hall they must have
felt some apprehension. Once the ceremony was over and the events began,
they walked onto the mat like veterans and let the training kick in. It was a
clear display of their hard work and dedication to wushu, and the
accomplishment they felt was clear in their faces. Our more experienced
members, maybe no less nervous but far better at hiding it, also came away well
decorated. Xingda
Chen and Shan Bandara won
medals in everything they entered. Shan was
also awarded the 'Best in Wushu - Male' award for his outstanding
performance across a range of events.
MUTW faced some stiff competition from other schools and
individuals from around Victoria. Children as young as seven brought
their effortless agility and flexibility, and far older competitors used their
experience to dominate the tai chi chuan section, but the day's most
intimidating wushu athletes came from that regular fixture of WTPA events: the
Monash Wushu Club. Their drunken cudgel was a fine display of balance and
sudden power, leading the way for the more exotic longsword, double-straightsword
and mantis style forms. It was a Monash Wushu Club senior who become Shan's
counterpart, winning the 'Best in Wushu - Female' award.
To round out a hard day's work, MUTW and Monash Wushu Club
joined WTPA organisers and competition judges for dinner. Friends and family
from the audience came along too, and found out from the hungry and eager
competitors exactly how much work goes into a day like this.
MUTW members would like to take this opportunity to thank
our master, Lily Sun, for her passion, dedication, and hard work in training us
for the WTPA competition. Without her, the medals we won would have
remained a dream. We would also like to thank the crowds, be they friend
or family, who came along to lend their support on the day. Your cheers helped
us jump higher, and kick harder.
