Wong Weng Ian, a bachelor’s student in Physical Education at MPU and member of the Macao sports delegation, brought honour to Macao with her stellar performance at the 31st FISU World University Games. She secured two silver medals in the women’s Jianshu and Qiangshu events. Remarkably, this was her inaugural participation in an adult competition, making her achievement even more impressive. It’s far from easy to perform so outstandingly right from the first outing. Wong Weng Ian shares her journey and experiences in martial arts.
UNYIELDING SPIRIT: HOW PERSISTENCE FORGES HER JOURNEY IN MARTIAL ARTS
Wong Weng Ian’s tryst with martial arts began at the tender age of six. Her innate talent caught her coach’s eye, propelling her to join the Macao martial arts training team and embark on her martial arts journey. As a child, she was deeply enamoured with martial arts and understood that only the proficient could have the chance to represent Macao in competitions. This understanding shaped her life’s goal: to master martial arts. She tirelessly worked towards this benchmark. Over time, this unwavering dedication and industrious nature became second nature to her. Despite the gruelling path of a martial arts athlete, she candidly shares that the thought of giving up has never crossed her mind. She remains steadfast in her conviction: perseverance will eventually bring rewards.
While Macao’s sports industry is in a phase of consistent growth, the public tends to adopt a cautious stance towards the career progression of professional athletes. Wong recalls that during her junior high school years, her class teacher advised her to focus more on her academic pursuits. Amidst an ambiance that overlooked sports, she held fast to her spirit of perseverance, charting her unique path in athletics. “I aim to demonstrate to the world that athletes can indeed be promising and excel,” she states. The lack of support from her teachers initially brought disappointment, but she harnessed this sentiment as motivation, enabling her to balance her academic study and athletic career effectively and subsequently achieve commendable results in both fields.
Wong’s success can be attributed not only to her natural talent and hard work but also to her unwavering personal characteristics. Her recent accolade in a global competition stands as a potent testament to the exceptional prowess and potential of Macao's athletes.
EMBRACING CHALLENGES AND FINDING CONFIDENCE: THE UNEXPECTED REWARDS OF PERSEVERANCE
Wong’s participation in this 31st FISU World University Games marked her debut in an adult competition. Rather than focusing on winning, the pressure and uncertainty weighed heavily on her mind, as she was no longer in the youth category of 16 – 18 years old but was competing against experienced contestants up to the age of 27. Initially, Wong felt her opponents’ vast experience might lead to a significant gap in their abilities, which added to her pressure. Furthermore, during the training camp in Hangzhou prior to the competition, she faced new challenges. Her coach introduced new techniques to enhance her movements, which required substantial time to grasp and refine. This left her feeling unprepared and further dented her confidence.
How did Wong Weng Ian manage to overcome these psychological and technical hurdles? She noted that her coach’s guidance played a crucial role in alleviating mental stress, instilling in her the understanding that giving her all would lead to a clear conscience. “Concentrating on your own performance and showcasing your skills is the key to truly relishing the competitive experience,” she expresses. In response to the technical challenges, Wong took a proactive approach. To ensure her best performance in the competition, she practised intensively and came well prepared. “Taking jumping as an example, I found it challenging in Qiangshu skills so I practised it more. The more I practised, the more confident I became on the field, knowing I could execute the moves, which boosted my confidence during the competition.”
As she hadn’t anticipated winning any awards before the competition, Wong was both surprised and happy to win two silver medals in the competition. “Winning these awards was an unexpected bonus for me, which boosts my confidence. It affirmed that all my efforts had paid off!”
BALANCING ACADEMICS AND TRAINING: MPU’S SUPPORT PROPELS SUCCESS
Juggling the dual responsibilities of being a student and an athlete is not easy. However, Wong Weng Ian relishes this challenge. She attributes her success in this competition to the support she received from MPU. “MPU is highly supportive of athletes. They adjust class schedules to accommodate training times, ensuring that I have enough time to train effectively for competitions. My professors and classmates have all given me tremendous encouragement and support for my participation.” Thanks to the university’s flexible schedule, Wong has been able to maintain her athletic and academic commitments without delay. She did note, however, that she sometimes needs to train in other locations and cannot attend classes. During these times, it is up to her to work harder independently to keep up with her academics. Despite her casual conversation, the effort it takes to balance both roles is not as simple as a few sentences would suggest.
Currently in her second year of the Bachelor of Physical Education programme at MPU, Wong believes that her studies, which are related to sports, are beneficial for her career as an athlete. In particular, the theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom can help her understand her training regimen better. “Many courses at MPU are helpful to my training. For example, exercise physiology can improve my understanding of my physical conditions, and anatomy aids in better comprehension of muscle structure. This allows me to understand how what I am practicing will manifest in athletic performance and what I can do to progress and improve the quality of my training.”
Looking to the future, Wong aspires to become a full-time athlete. While her success at the World University Games has undoubtedly boosted her confidence, she isn’t basking in the joy of success. Instead, she acknowledges her status and works even harder to advance. She is actively preparing for the World Wushu Championships scheduled for November and is also targeting the upcoming Asian Games, where she hopes to continue to strive for excellent results in large-scale international competitions. She encouraged everyone with dreams, “I hope everyone can persist with their dreams. Even if you can't see the results at this moment, your efforts will not let you down.”
Pictures provided by interviewee
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