University hosts
Wushu Championships
More than 100 competitors from colleges and universities in Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, Maryland and Canada traveled to the University on Saturday to participate in the 6th Annual Collegiate Wushu Championships.
About 300 people attended the competition, which took place in Gerlinger 220. University freshman Phillip Dang won the men’s all-around competition, and University Wushu Club coach Peter Wolf was named as the outstanding internal competitor. UC-Berkeley won the team competition.
Wushu, which developed in mainland China in the past 50 years, is a contemporary form of Chinese martial arts, said Brandon Sugiyama, one of the founding members of the University Wushu Club.
“The emphasis is on competition and performance,” he said. Wushu is “based on traditional fighting styles in China.”
Already an international sport, Wushu may gain greater recognition at the 2008 Olympic games. Beijing is hosting the games, and there is speculation that Wushu may be recognized as an Olympic event, Sugiyama said.
— Kara Cogswell