Iran wins the world Wushu (Sanda) championships

[_Navid_]

This week we had what I can call the greatest performance by any Iranian sport team ever in a world championship event. Unfortunately it hasn't got as much attention and coverage as it deserved.

World Wushu championships in China. This competition is held every 2 years and is the most prestigious Wushu competition in the world.
Wushu comprises of Taolu (forms) and Sanda (fighting).

Iran sent a team of 8 athletes to the Sanda event (5 males, 3 females), and all 8 won the gold medal. Not only we didn't lose a single Sanda match, we didn't even lose a single round and we won both our matches against China.

China was the host, and has been the founder and dominant country in Wushu and our fighters had rarely managed to win their fights against China in history.

We also got our first ever gold in Taolu world championships.

[PSGman#19]

When Iran will win something in a real sport?

[Rooyintan]

It is so sad that Wushu is not in the Olympic Games.

It has been in a few Asian Games.

[Irannn]

That was a great performance indeed, specially in men's Sanda where Iran beat China twice but ...

Wushu is not that developed outside of Asia, if it makes it to the Olympics "one day" winning medals will be much harder, considering current IOC's policy which gives too much power to the host nation, Wushu will have a good chance if one day China hosts the Olympics again. but what we know right now. there is no chance for 2024 and 2028.

I would like it more if they let all countries to have 1 entry in each event. the current medal table is fake IMO, we can't see the real strength of each country here. of course Sanda is only between Iran and China but to be honest none of Iranian girls could win the gold if they had to face China. the thing is per rules each country can only enter in 3 weights (out of 7) and Iranian coaches always pick their team based on what China does. for example this time China had athletes at 52, 56 and 60. that was problematic for Iran because Elaheh Mansourian is a 52kg competitor, what Iran did ? told Elaheh to jump 3 weight classes !! she moved to 65kg and won the gold easily ! she easily dominated girls 10kg heavier than herself, that shows the level in those weights, beside that there were only 4 athletes for 70kg and 75kg where Iran won the gold. I highly doubt any of Iranian girls could beat China. nobody can beat China in women's Sanda right now. they never lost a match in major tournaments so far (by major I mean World Champs and Asian Games) I think Iranian girls winning 3 medals in Taolu (2 silver and 1 bronze) was a more prestigious achievement.

can't say the same about the men's Sanda, they didn't care about China and simply sent their best athletes, 2 of them had to beat China for the gold and they did it in style. Mohammadseifi is unbeatable in international competitions for 10 years, he beat China once again, Khorshidi was a big surprise, he dominated the Chinese athlete. still I would love to see a real dual between Iran and China, in all 11 weights, I wonder how many weights we can win over China. I can guess 4, maybe 5. Iran is very close to China in men's Sanda. but still they are hard to beat in lighter weights.

and I have to correct a thing again, this is NOT Iran's first ever gold medal in Taolu. this is our 5th. as usual Iranian media are terrible. Iran had won the Duilian title 3 times. (Duilian = team event in taolu) they later changed it to the "first ever individual gold medal" and even that is wrong. Iran had won a gold medal in Taolu back in 2001.
Does it mean this kid can win the gold medal at the Asian Games ? no (unless he improves and why not he is just 18). China will be there and beside that his event "Nandao" is not in the Asian Games program. he has to try the Nangun/Nanquan combination.

It was a great competition, better than expectations, no doubt about that, but as long as the International Federation put these huge limitations on the number of athletes each country can send, the world championship is a secondary competition. they are giving free medals to some weaker countries this way to "develop" Wushu but they are killing the level of the World Championship this way, Right now the Asian Games is the highest level of Wushu.