New Zealand To Compete At Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008
New Zealand will have a wushu athlete at 'Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008’ being held in Beijing at the same time and venue as this year's Beijing Olympic Games.
The wushu event, acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee as a tribute to Chinese culture, will be held at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium (Olympic Green) between 21-24 August (day 13-16) of the Olympic Games in Beijing China.
"I am very pleased to announce that Wellington based kung-fu/wushu athlete Nick Grimwood has been allocated a wild-card by the International Wushu Federation Technical Committee to compete in the prestigious ‘Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008’" said New Zealand Kung Fu Wushu Federation president Glen Keith.
Nick, a senior student of former all China Wushu Champion Shi Mei Lin of Johnsonville, will compete in the Men's Changquan (long fist kung-fu/wushu) event along with seven of the world’s best Changquan athletes.
Australian wushu athlete Susie Fei Cen Parnham drew the only other wild-card for Oceania. She will compete in the Women's Taijiquan (tai chi/shadow boxing) & Taijijian (tai chi sword) combined event.
Mr Keith also announced that Grant Butcher from Auckland has been invited by the International Wushu Federation Technical Committee to represent New Zealand as an International Sanshou Judge at 'Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008'.
Both Nick and Grant’s representation at ‘Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008’ is a great honor for New Zealand and the New Zealand Kung-Fu Wushu Federation said Mr Keith.
Unfortunately there were no wild-cards for Sanshou (full contact kung-fu fighting) athletes.