Wushu (Chinese Martial Arts) is an attractive sport for many reasons. While people usually know of its ability to strengthen the mind and body, it is most inspiring to those who seek a means of self-cultivation and camaraderie. This is all according to Ms. Yim Wing Tung, a Chung Chi student from the CUHK Exercise Science and Health Education Programme and a full-time athlete representing Hong Kong. She is a wushu practitioner who demonstrates athletic prowess and dedication to the sport – having practiced wushu since she was a child, she has claimed many awards, most recently a gold medal in the Women’s Optional Chang Quan category at the inaugural Asian University Wushu Championship. Through university studies, she continues to enhance her athletic performance and aims to promote wushu after retirement, especially to younger potential learners.

Q: How did you begin your career in Wushu?

I was six when I followed my brother to Wushu class. I was fascinated by how the wushu practitioners did somersaults, so I decided to join classes and enter different regional competitions. At ten years old I was scouted by the Hong Kong national team during one of the competitions. I was recruited as a part-time athlete until September 2022, it was then that I became a CUHK student and decided to also be a full-time athlete. I thought to myself, twenty-something is a good time to take this new path.

Q: Have you faced any difficulties or setbacks during rehearsals or competitions? How did you overcome them?

Even with years of experience in wushu, self-doubt found its way to me when I was in my third year of secondary school. I went through a phase where I seriously considered quitting the team. Around that time, I was dealing with multiple sports injuries, all the while still pushing myself and training a lot. When I wasn’t selected to compete for the team, my self-esteem took a huge hit. Thankfully, my coach was very supportive, so I just kept on going. As my injuries eventually recovered, I was fully ready to commit to the team once again.

Besides this hiccup, I face other challenges too, but managing stress during competitions is the most difficult. Standing alone in the arena under the gaze of the audience and judges can make you anxious, and you start to worry about not performing perfectly. To cope with the pressure, I increase the intensity of my training and treat each session as the real deal. As such I have become more capable of withstanding stress, and it is a great way to improve my performance as well.

Q: As an elite athlete accepted into CUHK, how is your university life now? How do you keep your busy training schedule and academic work in balance?

Though a full-time athlete trains for a minimum of 100 hours each month, I am still eager to make friends and experience university life, even when I only get Sundays off. My coach is very understanding of my situation and allows me to make flexible training arrangements during exam seasons. This makes it easier for me to manage both practice and study schedules. The university’s system also gives me the freedom to schedule my classes, so that I can spend more time with friends. Even so, my schedule is always packed with training and competitions, and I am not graduating at the same time as my friends.

Q: How has the university programme helped with your life planning and career in Wushu?

The programme has equipped me with theoretical knowledge related to sports, such as sports psychology, and I have become more aware of the different ways to improve my mental wellbeing and athletic performance. Other courses in sports science keep me informed about the latest training techniques and facilities in the industry. On top of that, I now have a better understanding of the human body structure and how it operates, which allows me to design training modules tailored to my needs, reducing the risk of any injuries.

As the Hong Kong wushu team racks up awards in international competitions, the local government increased support for this sport, and wushu has become better known by the public. I would like to stay in the wushu community as a coach even after I retire and encourage more people to learn the martial arts. I would also devote my time to discovering young talents, as wushu emphasises body coordination, and training earlier in life can significantly contribute to the overall development of a wushu practitioner.

Student Reporter Lee Yin Lok