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 lei tai is an elevated fighting arena, without railings, where often fatal weapons and bare-knuckle martial arts tournaments were once held. "Sanctioned" matches were presided over by a referee on the platform and judges on the sides. Fighters would lose if they surrendered, were incapacitated, or were thrown or otherwise forced from the stage. The winner would remain on the stage unless ousted by a stronger opponent. If there were no more challengers, they would become the champion. Private duels on the stage had no rules and were sometimes fought to the death.
The 2008 Beijing Wushu Tournament was a wushu competition which was held from August 21 to 24, 2008 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in Beijing, China. The tournament was organised by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG), the International Wushu Federation (IWUF), and the Chinese Wushu Association (CWA), and was held in tandem with the 2008 Summer Olympics.
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.
Alfred Hsing is an American martial artist, actor, and stuntman. After over a decade of intensive training in both America and China, Hsing won the first American gold medal in wushu taolu history at the 2009 World Wushu Championships held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Earlier that year he made the US National Wushu Team where he was ranked 1st in the nation. Along with his career in martial arts, Hsing is also recognized as the Shaolin Expert on Spike TV's show Deadliest Warrior.
The European Wushu Championships is a wushu competition organized by the European Wushu Federation, an official continental federation of the International Wushu Federation. The first championships were held in Brussels, Belgium in May 1986, with 70 athletes from eight participating member countries.
Shi Deru, born Liu Xiangyang, English name Shawn Liu, is a 31st generation Grandmaster of Shaolin kung fu. He was a close disciple of abbot Shi Suxi, and close Shaolin brother of Shi Deyang. His nickname is "iron leg".
Dương Thúy Vi is a wushu taolu athlete from Vietnam. She is one of the most renowned wushu athletes of all time, having won numerous medals at the World Wushu Championships, Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games, and the Asian Wushu Championships.
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.
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.
Wu Yanan is a retired Chinese wushu taolu and taijiquan athlete of Hui ethnicity.
Ai Uchida, previously known as Ai Miyaoka, is a former wushu taolu and taijiquan athlete from Japan. She was a multiple-time medalist at the World Wushu Championships and the Asian Games, and also won the bronze medal in women's taijiquan at the 2008 Beijing Wushu Tournament. She is Japan's most renowned wushu athlete at the Asian Games.
Gao Jiamin is a retired professional wushu taolu athlete and taijiquan practitioner originally from China. She achieved an impressive competitive career throughout the 1990s and became known as the "Queen of Taiji". Gao has won 32 gold medals in a variety of competitions including the World Wushu Championships, Asian Games, East Asian Games, National Games of China, and in various other international and national competitions.
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.
Tomoya Okawa is a wushu taolu athlete from Japan. He is a one-time world champion, and multiple-time medalist at the World Wushu Championships and the Taolu World Cup.
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.
