Three gold medals and one silver! Making its debut at the World Games in Chengdu, Wushu Sanda lit up the international stage. On August 12, the Chengdu High-tech Sports Center Gymnasium was packed to capacity, and the audience was treated to a series of thrilling moments. A total of six gold medals were decided that day, as China’s Chen Mengyue, Li Zhiqin, Zhu Hailan, and Tang Sishuo took turns delivering peak performances of “power and speed” to the crowd.

When the music of Huo Yuanjia began to play, the stands erupted in excitement. Chen Mengyue stepped into the arena amid thunderous cheers. Shown on the big screen as a world champion, her eyes radiated determination and her smile brimmed with confidence. With a fast, precise, and fierce fighting style, she ignited the atmosphere, the cheers never ceasing throughout the match. Ultimately, Chen defeated India’s Namata Batra 2–0 to win the women’s 52kg gold medal. Raising her gloved hands above her head to form a heart, she expressed gratitude to the audience. “This is my first time at the World Games. From the nervousness at the beginning to getting more and more excited in each bout, my form kept improving,” Chen said. “We had over a month of closed training for this event, which really boosted my competitive level. In the future, I want to make the most of every training session and every match, and keep bringing glory to the country.”

After Chen’s gold medal set the tone, Team China kept the winning streak alive. Li Zhiqin, who took the athletes’ oath at the World Games Opening Ceremony, brought even more heat to the arena. “5, 4, 3, 2, 1!” — as each round drew to a close, the crowd counted down in excitement. Li won both rounds decisively, defeating her opponent 2–0 to claim the women’s 60kg gold medal. She repeatedly offered the highest gesture of respect in Wushu, the “baoquan li” (fist-and-palm salute), to the audience and referees. “I’ve watched a lot of my opponent’s matches and noticed her strong kicking skills, so my tactic was to attack more with punches,” Li explained, adding that the crowd’s cheers gave her immense energy.

In the women’s 70kg final, China faced a setback. Zhu Hailan fought a full three rounds against her Iranian opponent in an evenly matched contest but narrowly lost in the end. Although she took silver, the audience gave her continuous applause as she left the mat shaking her head. “We trained specifically for the Iranian athlete, but the situation on the mat can change quickly. After losing the second round, I got a little anxious and my mindset wavered,” Zhu admitted. “There are wins and losses in sports. I believe I will come back stronger.”

For Tang Sishuo, the lone Chinese athlete in the men’s Sanda competition, being the final competitor of the day came with heavy pressure. But in the men’s 56kg final, he rose to the occasion as the team’s “pillar of strength.” His repeated and spectacular throws wowed the crowd, and he eventually defeated his opponent to secure another gold for China. “This gold medal means a lot to me and has boosted my confidence,” Tang said. “The rapid progress of teams like Vietnam is a good thing for us — it pushes us to improve. I believe we will only get better in the future.”