Wushu’s Cameo Appearance in the Olympics
“Australia’s Rhythmic Group have produced the nation’s best ever result in the Rhythmic Gymnastics Group All-Around competition at an Olympic Games with an 11th place finish in Paris. Lidiia Iakovleva, Saskia Broedelet, Emmanouela Frroku, Phoebe Learmont and Jessica Weintraub dazzled the crowd at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena with two stunning two and a half minute routines to record an All-Around score of 58.450.” (Gymnastics Australia)
Our eagle-eyed observers could not contain their delight to see their second performance to the song ‘Wushu‘ by Gothic Storm in costumes adorned with some Chinese symbol on the back. The commentators’ remark and explanation that “Wushu is a Chinese Martial Art, a popular medal sport in Asian Games” is probably the first ever mention of Wushu during an Olympic broadcast.
It would be fair to say that our five gymnasts from Aspire Gymnastics Academy in Brisbane made more for awareness of Wushu than the entire Marketing Committee of the International Wushu Federation during their many years of seemingly half-hearted efforts toward acceptance of modern Wushu as a beautiful and respectable sport.
Images: Australian TV, Channel 9
Watch the Video (The Ribbon & Ball starts at 8:00) – You need to have an account with 9now channel (it’s free: https://www.9now.com.au/)
