STORY: Opening of World Wushu Championships in U.S. applauded
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 16, 2023
DATELINE: Nov. 19, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:18
LOCATION: FORT WORTH, United States
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the opening ceremony of the 16th World Wushu Championships (WWC)

STORYLINE:
The 16th World Wushu Championships (WWC) opened on Thursday in Fort Worth, the U.S. state of Texas.

"The championships mark the return of this marvelous event to American soil after nearly 30 years," Anthony Goh, chairman of the 16th WWC, said at the opening ceremony. The United States last held the WWC in 1995.

After Gao Zhidan, newly-elected president of the International Wushu Federation, announced the opening of the tournament, more than 100 American Tai Chi enthusiasts, dressed in white, took the stage first and performed Tai Chi 24-Form Movements together.

Kevin French, a sales manager who flew in from Kentucky, said that he enjoyed the "big party" atmosphere of the championships which bring together Wushu fans of different ethnicities, ages, genders, and levels to communicate with each other.

On behalf of the host city, Greg Jackson, Chair of the Board for Fort Worth Sister Cities International, declared the city enters "The Week of Wushu" during the championship running from November 16 to 20.

"The 2023 competition, the first held since the COVID pandemic, will be a time of joy and reconnection for all athletes, coaches, and fans in attendance," Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, said in a statement released prior to the competition.

The event will undoubtedly foster cross-cultural exchange among hundreds of athletes who have journeyed to Fort Worth, Abbott added.

Wushu is popular across all five continents and grows more popular every year, the organizers say, adding that it is estimated that over 100 million people practice Wushu worldwide.

The event is a good stage to improve the relationships between China and the United States, said Patrick Searcy, from Frisco, Texas. "We need more bonding with activities like this."

"I think Wushu is a positive force for both countries to join in a common pursuit. I think it provides an even playing ground for discussion, friendship, and solidarity," said Justin Benedik, an American athlete who won a bronze medal at the 14th edition of the tournament.

"The significance of the championships extends beyond the arena - it is a platform for Wushu enthusiasts worldwide to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and blend the culture and spirit of Wushu," said Chen Zhongwei, chairman of the competition's sponsor Hengyuanxiang Group, in his remarks at the opening ceremony.

"As a rare global cultural symbol, Wushu resonates among different groups, harmonizing skills and aesthetics, values, and ideals. It calls for peace, paves the way for civilization, and contributes precious spiritual wealth to the human world," he added.

The 16th WWC covers both men's and women's Taolu and Sanda. Nearly 300 athletes will compete for around 40 gold medals, according to the organizers.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Fort Worth, United States.
(XHTV)