Singapore’s rising star Zeanne Law secures World Wushu Championship title in Taijiquan

SINGAPORE: Zeanne Law, the Singaporean wushu athlete, has made an indelible mark in Singapore’s wushu sports history by achieving the esteemed title of world champion at the World Wushu Championships held in Texas, United States, from Nov 16-20.

During the event in Fort Worth, Dallas, Texas, on Saturday (Nov 18), the remarkable 18-year-old Zeanne Law Zhi Ning emerged victorious among 13 competitors, securing the women’s taijiquan (太极拳) title.

Her outstanding performance resulted in Singapore’s fifth gold medal at this biennial competition.

Team Singapore joyously celebrated Zeanne’s sensational win through a Facebook post, highlighting her thrilling triumph on the global stage:

As per the Singapore Wushu Dragon & Lion Dance Federation, Zeanne secured a remarkable score of 9.776 in the competition, earning her the gold medal and crowning her as the new world champion in this particular category.

In an impressive turn of events, Zeanne, who initially finished fifth among 13 competitors in the women’s taijiquan a day earlier, clinched her inaugural major international title in a gripping manner.

The intense final at the Fort Worth Convention Centre saw her tie with Agatha Wong from the Philippines, aged 25, both achieving a score of 9.776 points.

Ultimately, the second tiebreak criterion was utilized to distinguish Zeanne as the champion in this closely contested event.

As reported by Singapore’s state media, The Straits Times, Zeanne Law expressed her overwhelming joy at achieving this milestone, describing her triumph as a “dream come true.”

“It is a surreal feeling to be standing on top of the podium at my first world championships.“

“I never thought this moment would come by so quickly as I’m relatively young compared to my competitors.”

“This success is based on the countless hours of dedicated training and constant fine-tuning of my techniques and strategies, “she added.

Drawing from her experiences at this year’s SEA and Asian Games, she gained valuable insights that bolstered her confidence and prepared her better for the world championships.

Acknowledging the challenges posed by adapting to a 14-hour time difference and coping with lower temperatures, Zeanne credited her success to a meticulously planned regimen.

This structured approach aided her in staying focused and overcoming these obstacles during the competition.

Singapore shines across multiple events at the Wushu Championships besides Zeanne Law’s triumph

Apart from Zeanne Law’s remarkable achievement, Singapore excelled in additional events at the competition.

In the men’s Tai Chi sword(太极剑) event, Tay Yu Xuan, representing Singapore, secured the silver medal by attaining a score of 9.756.

His exceptional performance resulted in a tie with two other athletes, leading to the silver medal honor.

Additionally, Chan Jun Kai, another Singaporean athlete, showcased his prowess by securing the seventh position in the same event, as stated by the Federation.

In the women’s Changquan event, Kimberly Ong demonstrated her skill by clinching the bronze medal among a competitive field of 38 participants with a score of 9.770.

In addition to the accomplishments of Zeanne Law, Jowen Lim secured the men’s daoshu (刀术) silver, and Vera Tan claimed the women’s taijiquan bronze on Nov 17, further adding to Singapore’s achievements in Texas.

As of now, Singapore’s medal tally stands at one gold, two silvers, and two bronzes, closely trailing their best performance of 1 gold, 3 silvers, and 3 bronzes achieved in 1995.

National coach Zhang Feng commended the overall performance of the team, expressing satisfaction with their achievements.

He highlighted the commitment of the athletes, emphasizing that they gave their all and effectively executed what they had diligently practiced during training.

Furthermore, Zhang Feng noted the athletes’ commendable mindset, emphasizing their focus on the process rather than solely fixating on the results.