Wushu athlete Lu Zhuoling wins China's 1st gold at Chengdu World Games

Lu Zhuoling won the women's Wushu Taijiquan-Taijijian on Friday night, securing China's first gold at the 2025 Chengdu World Games in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The 21-year-old scored 9.796 points to top the standings in the Taijiquan event in the morning and finished third in the evening's Taijijian, combining for 19.522 points to win the gold.

"This gold medal is the best birthday gift I could ask for," said Lu, who turns 22 on August 22.

"Before going on stage, I was actually a bit nervous," she admitted. "But I performed as expected, similar to my usual training level. I'm grateful for the support and encouragement from the audience."

Singapore's Zeanne Law scored 19.430 points to take the silver, and Chin Sy Xuan Sydney of Malaysia got the bronze with 19.410 points.

"Whether in China or other countries, more and more young people are practicing Wushu," Lu said, expressing strong confidence in the sport's future. "I believe Wushu will definitely make it to the Olympic stage one day."

Wushu, also known as kung fu, is a collective term for the martial arts that originated and developed in China, representing both the culture and image of Chinese martial traditions. Renowned for its great appeal to television audiences and spectators, the sport features a vast array of techniques showcased by its practitioners.

In the Taijiquan and Taijijian combined routines, athletes demonstrate a variety of techniques, and the winner is determined by the highest score awarded by judges after completion.