Sanda, formerly Sanshou, is the official Chinese boxing full-contact combat sport. Sanda is a fighting system which was originally developed by the Chinese military based upon the study and practices of traditional Chinese martial arts and modern combat fighting techniques; it combines boxing and full-contact kickboxing, which includes close range and rapid successive punches and kicks, with wrestling, takedowns, throws, sweeps, kick catches, and in some competitions, even elbow and knee strikes.
The International Wushu Federation (IWUF) is an international sport organization and is the governing body for wushu in all its forms worldwide. The IWUF is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and is also a member of the ARISF, GAISF, FISU, IWGA, and the ISF.
Wushu, or kung fu, is a competitive Chinese martial art. It integrates concepts and forms from various traditional and modern Chinese martial arts, including Shaolin kung fu, tai chi, and Wudangquan. "Wushu" is the Chinese term for "martial arts", reflecting the art's goal as a compilation and standardization of various styles.
The World Wushu Championships (WWC) is an international sports championship hosted by the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) for the sports of wushu taolu and sanda (sanshou). It has been held biennially since 1991 and is the pinnacle event of the IWUF. The World Wushu Championships also coincides with the IWUF Congress as well as with various committee meetings. This competition additionally serves as the qualification event for the Taolu World Cup and the Sanda World Cup.
The World Junior Wushu Championships (WJWC) is an international wushu competition organized by the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) for competitors below 18 years of age. There are three age groups for the Taolu events and there is also a Sanda category.
Scott M. Rodell is a martial artist, author, and teacher of Yang-style taijiquan. He is the founding director of Great River Taoist Center, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C.
Helen Wu is Chinese Muslim martial artist living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The daughter of Wang Jurong and Wu Chengde began her martial arts training at age three with her mother and her grandfather Wang Ziping, the world-renowned Wushu Grandmaster.
Wang Jurong was a Chinese-Muslim martial artist and Wushu professor in the Shanghai Institute of Physical Education.
Mohammed Hussein Al-Ashwal is a Yemeni Wushu martial artist. He was born on 20 October 1983 in Muharraq, Bahrain. He won bronze medals in the men's 48 kg sanshou category at both the 2003 and 2005 World Wushu championships.
Sunny Tang is a Canadian practitioner of wing chun kung fu and wushu. He was the 2003 World Traditional Masters champion and is the founder of Wushu Canada, as well as the Sunny Tang Martial Arts Centre chain of martial arts centres in Canada. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and an inductee into the Canadian Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
The South African Wushu Federation (SAWF) is the national governing body for the development and promotion of the sport of wushu also known as kung fu in South Africa. The Federation was formed in 2002.
The United States of America Wushu Kungfu Federation (USAWKF) is the governing body of wushu-kungfu in the United States. The USAWKF manages and selects the members of the US Wushu Team to compete in various international competitions including the World Wushu Championships, World Junior Wushu Championships, World Kungfu Championships, and the World Taijiquan Championships. The USAWKF also develops regional and national activities relating to Wushu, and has had great influence on how wushu taolu and sanda events are run in the United States. The USAWKF is a member of the Pan-American Wushu Federation (PAWF) and the International Wushu Federation (IWUF).
The 1995 World Wushu Championships was the 3rd edition of the World Wushu Championships, and was held in Baltimore, United States of America from August 19 to August 22, 1995. This marked the first time a major international Wushu competition was held outside of Asia.
The 2023 World Wushu Championships was the 16th edition of the World Wushu Championships. It was held at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, from November 16 to 20, 2023.
Zhao Qingjian is a retired professional wushu taolu athlete who is originally from Shandong. Through his numerous successes in national and international competitions, he established himself as one of the greatest wushu taolu athletes of the 2000s.
The Chinese Wushu Association (CWA) is the governing body of wushu in all of its forms throughout China. Since its founding in 1958, it has been credited with the development and standardization of modern wushu and sanda throughout the world.
The Asian Wushu Championships is a continental wushu championship hosted by the Wushu Federation of Asia (WFA), the official continental representative to the International Wushu Federation. The competition is open to the 37 member nations of the WFA and their respective national teams. Unlike other continental wushu competitions which are held every two years, the Asian Wushu Championships is held every four years to make way for wushu at the Asian Games.
The Pan American Wushu Championships is a continental wushu championship hosted by the Pan American Wushu Federation (PAWF), the official continental representative of Pan America to the International Wushu Federation (IWUF). The PAWF was founded at the 1995 World Wushu Championships in Baltimore, USA, and since 1996, the Pan American Wushu Championships have been held every two years.
The International Invitational Wushu Championships, also known as the International Wushu Festivals, were a series of international wushu competitions held from 1985 until the formation of the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) in 1990. These competitions were the first international wushu competitions to exist which preceded the World Wushu Championships which started in 1991.
