One of the big stars in the Wushu competitions was home athlete Lydia Sham. She won all of her three competition routines, and so qualified for The World Games 2025 in Chengdu. Wushu is the Chinese name for martial arts; it was one of the three sports that featured in the inaugural The World Games Series event, held in Hong Kong in mid-October. Lydia achieved victories in Changquan (first routine), along with Jianshu (using a Jian sword) and Qiangshu, a routine using a spear, both of these routines using Changquan methods of movement.
“The moment I knew my results, it felt surreal, and I was relieved at the same time. There were so many mixed emotions, as my coaches and friends had high expectations for me, which sometimes might be stressful, but eventually I made it!”, she says. “There were more people around the world that got to know me, and I was featured in the Hong Kong TV news! Even though it was just a few seconds, it was a great opportunity to let more people know there is a sport called Wushu.”
World Cup Gold as well!
Lydia then went on to win Gold in the Qiangshu routine in the 3rd World Cup in Wushu, in Japan at the end of October. This and her other routines are within the non-combat discipline called Taolu, and all require a combination of great speed, power, accuracy and flexibility for success.
Lydia started Wushu at 6 years old. “Back in my adolescent days, my coach recommended Changquan style to me and it suited me the best. The style was chosen based on the ability and flexibility of my body, as well as my body shape. During that time, we all believed Changquan was the best style regarding my image and ability,” she says.
Intensive training
Training as a member of the Hong Kong Wushu Team is very intensive. “We train every day except Sunday, and two sessions per day with around 2-3 hours per session. Our coaches will create a training program for us, and usually adjust the intensity of the training when we are approaching major competitions,” she tells.
How do you balance being a top-level competitor and the other important activities in your life?
“As I am currently a university physiotherapy student, I have to balance my training and class schedules. When there are major competitions, I may prioritise my training. Time management skills are very important, and I have to set clear goals for myself, to prevent me from being late with my assignments or behind in my training. With this hectic schedule being a student athlete, I at times have to sacrifice some social time with my friends or family.”
One thing is certain: next August in Chengdu, friends and family and many of her supporters from Hong Kong will be urging Lydia on to yet another victory. Wushu is very popular in China, and sell-out crowds can be expected at the competition venue.
The International World Games Association (IWGA) is a non-profit-making international sports organisation recognised and supported by the International Olympic Committee. The IWGA comprises 40 International Member Sports Federations. It administers and promotes The World Games (TWG), a multi-sport event held every four years that features around 35 sports on its programme. The next edition of TWG will be in Chengdu (CHN) from 7-17 August 2025. 5,000 participants from more than 100 countries are expected to take part in this 12th edition. The latest Games were hosted by Birmingham, Alabama (USA).
For more information, please contact the IWGA Media and Communication team: [email protected], Tel: +41 21 311 12 97, or visit our website.