The 14th National Primary Schools Wushu Championship 2018 – A Walk to Remember

Xuan Sports National Primary School Wushu winners

It is that time of the year again: a time when the months of training culminate into that very moment on the carpet. A rather stressful time, I must say. To the athletes, this is a test of their techniques and skills, to the coaches, it is a showcase of their efforts and to the parents, it is a really busy period. Yet, we choose to go through it over and over again.

Ah...The National School Games, that's what it is.

As per previous years, the primary school segment of the National School Games (Wushu) is held at Tao Nan School. And as per previous years, the school hall is transformed into a battleground for the Wushu athletes. The loud cheers, colourful costumes and wonderful display of the athletes’ prowess. This is indeed a spectacle not to be missed.

This year, Xuan Sports has had a wonderful end in this competition, with truly amazing results.

Let us look back at the seven days of competition.

Day 1 & 2 – Days of Bare-Fist Routines

Traditionally, the first two days are those that are filled with Quan routines – from Changquan, Taijiquan to Nanquan. These days saw the display of all the available styles of Quan in the National School Games. Our athletes were well-prepared for battle to start and they were ready to put their skills to the test. Let’s have a look of our medallists from the first two days of competition.

Day 1 Medallists:

3-Duan Changquan
Junior Boys
1^st Kenji Tan (Rulang Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Julius Lee (Tao Nan School - Xuan Sports athlete)
Junior Girls
1^st Leah Tan (Anderson Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

42-Style Taijiquan
Junior Boys
1^st Matthew Ang (Catholic High School, Primary)
2^nd Gareth Cheong (Catholic High School, Primary)
3^rd Antonio Chee (Mee Toh School)
Junior Girls
1^st Suzanne Lee (Keming Primary School)
2^nd Danielle Ang (Unity Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
3^rd Regan Hu (Keming Primary School)
Senior Boys
1^st Isaac Wong (Keming Primary School)
3^rd Joshua Wong (De La Salle School - Xuan Sports athlete)
Senior Girls
1^st Goh Wen Xi (Keming Primary School)
2^nd Ng Jing Tong (Keming Primary School)

3-Duan Nanquan
Junior Boys
1^st Cedrik Peh (Ai Tong School - Xuan Sports athlete)
3^rd Joshua Pang (Catholic High School, Primary)

Nanquan
Junior Boys
2^nd Adam Goh (Mee Toh School)
Junior Girls
1^st Pearlyn Ong (Ai Tong School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Yoo Yu Huan (Ai Tong School - Xuan Sports athlete)
Senior Boys
1^st Isaac Yang (Catholic High School, Primary)
Senior Girls
3^rd Isabel Sze (Keming Primary School)

5-Duan Changquan
Junior Girls
1^st Heidi Kong (Keming Primary School)
3^rd Sarah Yau (Xuan Sports athlete)

Day 2 Medallists:

5-Duan Nanquan
Junior Boys
3^rd Tan Teng Jue (Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Junior Girls
3^rd Khoo Wen Yi (CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Boys
1^st Javier Kok (Innova Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Douglas Leow (Gongshan Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Girls
1^st Ezanne Ho (Keming Primary School)
2^nd Jesel Tang (Tao Nan School - Xuan Sports athlete

3^rd Chong Yeng Tung, Candice (Fernvale Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

5-Duan Changquan
Senior Boys
1^st Brayden Cheong (Keming Primary School)
4^th Gideon Lee (Westwood Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Girls

1^st Berlynn Ng (De La Salle School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Cheryl Leong (Nanyang Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Changquan
Senior Boys
1^st Nicholas Loh (Catholic High School, Primary)
3^rd Truman Chia (Westwood Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Girls
3^rd Isabel Sze (Keming Primary School)

24-Style Taijiquan
Junior Boys
1^st Dylan Seah (Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
3^rd Chase Lim (Catholic High School, Primary)

Junior Girls
1^st Cholene Aw (Ngee Ann Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Chleo Neo (Yew Tee Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
4^th Lee Zi Xian (Keming Primary School)

Senior Boys
2^nd Ian Chua (Catholic High School, Primary)
3^rd Jerome Goh (De La Salle School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Girls
1^st Chloe Lim (Keming Primary School)
2^nd Phoenix Sun (Keming Primary School)

It was indeed a fruitful start for Xuan Sports as we clinched 17 gold medals out of the 28 events in total.

Day 3, 4 & 5 – Battle of the Swords

The following three days in the National School Games saw the athletes pitching their skills against one another in the short-weapon routines. Namely, there are four types of short weapon routines being displayed in these three days: the sword, broadsword, Nan Dao (Southern Broadsword) and the Taijijian (the Taiji Sword). The techniques involved, as well as, the types of swords being used here are all different. This makes it much more interesting for the spectators as they get to see the different arrays of sword skills in display.

Minus all the beautiful display, these weapons do post a real threat and it is not uncommon that athletes accidentally hurt themselves in their practices. Such is the price to pay to do well in their events and indeed, they have put in their sweat and ‘blood’ for the weapons’ events.

Let us have a look at our medallists in the various sword events.

Day 3 Medallists:

4-Duan Broadsword
Junior Boys
2^nd Chua Xin Yun (Mee Toh School)

5-Duan Broadsword
Junior Boys
1^st Julius Lee (Tao Nan School - Xuan Sports athlete)
3^rd Tan Teng Jue (Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

4-Duan Sword

Junior Boys
1^st Jovan Lee (Greenridge Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
3^rd Tay Yu Cheng (West Grove Primary School)

Junior Girls
1^st Leah Tan (Anderson Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

5-Duan Sword

Junior Boys
1^st Kenji Tan (Rulang Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Junior Girls

1^st Heidi Kong (Keming Primary School)

Day 4 Medallists:

4-Duan Sword

Senior Boys
1^st Gideon Lee (Westwood Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

5-Duan Sword

Senior Boys
2^nd Ang Yi Qi (Catholic High School, Primary)

Nan Dao (Southern Broadsword)

Junior Boys
2^nd Joshua Pang (Catholic High School, Primary)
4^th Ethan Yeo (Anglo-Chinese School, Primary - Xuan Sports athlete)

Junior Girls
1^st Pearlyn Ong (Ai Tong School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Yoo Yu Huan (Ai Tong School - Xuan Sports athlete)
4^th Khoo Wen Yi (CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace - Xuan Sports athlete)

Broadsword

Senior Boys
1^st Brayden Cheong (Keming Primary School)

Senior Girls
2^nd Anya Sim (Nan Hua Primary School)

4-Duan Broadsword

Senior Boys
1^st Truman Chia (Westwood Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Ethan Lee (Ai Tong School - Xuan Sports athlete)

5-Duan Broadsword

Senior Boys
2^nd Douglas Leow (Gongshang Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Girls
1^st Cheryl Leong (Nanyang Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Day 5 Medallists:

32-Style Taijijian

Junior Boys
2^ndChase Lim (Catholic High School, Primary)
3^rdTan Bao Xin (Keming Primary School)
4^th Joshua Ang (Mee Toh School)

Junior Girls
1^st Cholene Aw (Ngee Ann Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^ndDanielle Ang (Unity Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
4^th Lee Zi Xian (Keming Primary School)

Senior Boys
1^st Isaac Wong (Keming Primary School)
2^nd Jerome Goh (De La Salle School)

Senior Girls
1^st Phoenix Sun (Keming Primary School)
2^nd Ng Jing Tong (Keming Primary School)
3^rd Sarah Kwok (Punggol View Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

42-Style Taijijian

Junior Boys
1^st Gareth Cheong (Catholic High School, Primary)
2^ndMatthew Ang (Catholic High School, Primary)
3^rdAntonio Chee (Mee Toh School)
4^th Hung Shu Chi (Keming Primary School)

Junior Girls
1^st Chloe Neo (Yew Tee Primary School – Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Suzanne Lee (Keming Primary School)
3^rd Regan Hu (Keming Primary School)

Senior Boys
1^st Joshua Wong (De La Salle School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Ian Chua (Catholic High School, Primary)

Senior Girls
1^st Goh Wen Xi (Keming Primary School)
2^nd Chloe Lim (Keming Primary School)

Nan Dao (Southern Broadsword)

Senior Boys
2^nd Isaac Yang (Catholic High School, Primary)

Senior Girls
1^st Ezanne Ho (Keming Primary School)
3^rd Isabel Sze (Keming Primary School)
4^th Chong Yeng Tung, Candice (Fernvale Primary School - Xuan Sports)

Broadsword

Junior Girls
1^st Sarah Yau (Ai Tong School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Sword

Junior Boys
4^th Yam Hong Rui (Yew Tee Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Boys
1^st Nicholas Loh (Catholic High School, Primary)
3^rd Jayden Sng (Northland Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Girls
1^st Berlynn Ng (De La Salle School - Xuan Sports athlete)

At the conclusion of the short-weapon events, we were more than happy to have won over half of the available gold medals. It is comforting to see our athletes being rewarded for their efforts.

Nonetheless, there were near misses for a few of our athletes, which cost them their medals. Such is what the pressure of competition may bring.

Day 6 – Day of the Long Weapons

This was another exciting day on which all the routines for long weapons such as the cudgel and spear were on display. It was a ‘long’ day indeed since all categories of long-weapons and all the four divisions were on for this day.

Here are our medallists.

Day 6 Medallists:

4-Duan Cudgel
Junior Boys
3^rd Chong Yeng Cheng, Brandon (Fernvale Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Boys
1^st Gideon Lee (Westwood Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

5-Duan Cudgel
Senior Boys
3^rd Jerome Goh (De La Salle School - Xuan Sports athlete)
4^th Ethan Lee (Ai Tong School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Cudgel
Junior Boys
1^st Julius Lee (Tao Nan School - Xuan Sports athlete)
4^th Archie Yau (Catholic High School, Primary)

Senior Girls
2^nd Cheryl Leong (Nanyang Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

4-Duan Spear
Junior Boys
1^st Jovan Lee (Greenridge Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
3^rd Anders Ng (Kranji Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Junior Girls
1^st Leah Tan (Anderson Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Chloe Neo (Yew Tee Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Boys
1^st Nicholas Loh (Catholic High School, Primary)

5-Duan Spear
Junior Boys
1^st Kenji Tan (Rulang Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Tay Yu Cheng (West Grove Primary School)
3^rd Tan Teng Jue (Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
4^th Gareth Tan (Catholic High School, Primary)

Junior Girls
1^st Heidi Kong (Keming Primary School)

Senior Boys
1^st Ian Chua (Catholic High School, Primary)
2^nd Isaac Wong (Keming Primary School)
3^rd Ang Yi Qi (Catholic High School, Primary)

Senior Girls
2^nd Phonix Sun (Keming Primary School)
3^rd Goh En Hian (Keming Primary School)

Spear
Junior Boys
1^st Chua Xin Yun (Mee Toh School)

Senior Boys
1^st Brayden Cheong (Keming Primary School)
2^nd Truman Chia (Westwood Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)
3^rd Jayden Sng (Northland Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Girls
1^st Berlynn Ng (De La Salle School - Xuan Sports athlete)
2^nd Goh Wen Xi (Keming Primary School)
4^th Anya Sim (Nan Hua Primary School)

Nan Gun (Southern Cudgel)
Junior Boys
2nd Joshua Pang (Catholic High School, Primary)
3rd Ethan Yeo (Anglo-Chinese School, Primary - Xuan Sports athlete)

Junior Girls
1^st Khoo Wen Yi (CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace - Xuan Sports athlete)
3^rd Pearlyn Ong (Ai Tong School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Boys
1^st Isaac Yang (Catholic High School, Primary)
2^nd Javier Kok (Innova Primary School - Xuan Sports athlete)

Senior Girls
1^st Ezanne Ho (Keming Primary School)
2^nd Isabel Sze (Keming Primary School)

With the conclusion of Day 6, the individual events were completed. Xuan Sports has achieved a medal tally of 50 golds, 39 silvers, 29 bronzes and 14 fourth positions, which is the record year out of the four years that we have been participating.

Day 7 – Day of ‘Synchronised Wushu’

For people who are familiar with synchronised swimming, you would know that the athletes perform beautifully choreographed routines in the pool. The group events in Wushu is similar in the sense that the athletes also put on display, their choreographed routine in a group. Often times, this is a test of the coaches’ experience and skills to put together, the best set of routine for their athletes based on the different sets of skills available. Watching the group events is a joy as we see displays of wonderful Wushu stunts, many varieties of routines, colourful costumes and nicely styled hairdos among the athletes.

We are indeed happy to have clinched six top positions out of the eight available events. To our athletes, we really couldn’t ask for more.

Here’s the group events results:

Group Quanshu

Junior Boys
1^st Catholic High School (Primary)

Junior Girls
1^st Keming Primary School

Senior Boys
2^nd Catholic High School (Primary)

Senior Girls
1^st Keming Primary School

Group Weapon
Junior Boys
1^st Catholic High School (Primary)

Junior Girls
1^st Keming Primary School

Senior Boys
2^nd Catholic High School (Primary)
4^th Mee Toh School

Senior Girls
1^st Keming Primary School

The entire competition concluded with the prize-giving for the divisional titles. Our school, Catholic High School (Primary), swept both the Junior and Senior Boys divisional title while Keming Primary Schools took that of the Senior Girls category. Keming’s Junior Girls team managed to come in second and their Senior Boys team squeezed themselves into third position in their respective divisions. Worthy of mention is Mee Toh School’s Junior Boys team, which got into the top 6th position in their division. All our athletes have worked really hard for this competition and to see them reap what they have sowed, the coaches are indeed comforted.
Divisional Placing

Junior Boys
1st Catholic High School (Primary)

Junior Girls
2nd Keming Primary School

Senior Boys
1st Catholic High School (Primary)
3rd Keming Primary School

Senior Girls
1st Keming Primary School

Some of the silent contributors to this success are (in no particular order), our main coaches, who took turns to take our competitors for warm-ups and pre-competitions preparations, our assistant coaches who tirelessly cheered for our athletes and our parents who not only helped to cheer, but provided everything else like photography services, make-up and hairstyling services and even catering services! Parents whose kids are already in secondary school have even come to the event to support our primary school competitors. This is such a touching gesture as it shows the unity of our Xuan family.

We know that we are strong, not only because of athletic prowess of our students, but because of this unity we see in fighting this battle together. Such is the beauty of our big Xuan family.

As much as we could, we tried to include all photographs of our students here but as you know, all these uploading are done manually. Therefore, if we have left out photographs of any of our athletes, we sincerely apologise for this.

Last but not least, we would really want to share this really cute photograph, which we really love. This photograph was taken when Kavan was anxiously waiting for his turn in his event.