The 19th Asian Games, recently concluded in Hangzhou, saw a creditable performance from Macao’s athletes. A number of SAR records were broken, notably in the pool, with breaststroke swimmers Terrence Chao, Chen Pui Lam and Cheng Weng Chi respectively besting the local men’s 50- and 100-metre and women’s 50-metre times.
However, it was in the Wushu competitions that Macao turned heads, bagging a total of four medals. Li Yi made history by becoming the city’s first female athlete to secure gold. Cai Feilong won silver, while Song Chi Kuan and Huang Junhua both garnered bronze medals.
For the uninitiated, wushu is a performative type of martial arts (but sometimes a contact sport) that encompasses a wide selection of fighting disciplines from China, including taolu, sanda and taijiquan. Literally translated as “martial technique,” wushu as a modern, codified sport sprang up with the establishment of the International Wushu Federation in 1990. However, it has its origins in the Qin Dynasty and thus a history of several thousand years.
Given the richness of wushu, and Macao’s success in Hangzhou, it wouldn’t be surprising if it saw a local popularity boom. If you catch the bug, here are some places where adults and children can partake in this multifaceted form of martial arts.
Macau Wushu Youth Academy (澳門青少年武術學校)
Established in 2007, the Macau Wushu Youth Academy is organised by the Macao Sports Bureau and the Wushu General Association of Macau. It is one of the leading institutions for kids who are interested in learning wushu, but it also happens to be highly selective, with coaches auditioning candidates before determining if they are eligible for enrolment.
Classes are held on weekends at the Macao International Shooting Range in Taipa-Coloane. They cost 100 patacas and are taught by experienced trainers assigned by the association. Classes for 2023 have already started and the target students are Macao residents who were born between 2011 and 2018.
For details about future classes, check here.
Macau Shaolin Martial Arts Cultural Association (澳門少林武術文化教育中心)
The Macau Shaolin Martial Arts Cultural Association was established in 2005. All of the teachers at this school are accredited monks who have studied in the Shaolin Temple and the principal of the association, Cao Wenting, is a 34th generation Shaolin monk.
The association offers a range of courses that cater to different ages and needs. Kids can choose the hour-long children’s wushu or kung fu classes which both cost 280 patacas per session. Adults can select kung fu classes that are also 280 patacas or exercise sessions that cost 800 patacas for an 8-lesson package.
The school has various branches across Macao, although the biggest one is located on the eleventh floor of Edificio Comercial Si Toi in Avenida da Praia Grande.
For more details, check out the association’s Facebook page.
Nikola Maricic
Nikola Marcic is an English-speaking Croatian wushu master with over 28 years of experience who is currently residing in Macao. He offers classes across a variety of martial arts styles, including taijiquan and wuzuquan, and can also teach the basics of changquan and sanda.
Maricic holds outdoor training sessions at Nam Van and Sai Van lake, as well as various places across the city. His lakeside training classes which are made up of two sessions per week cost 500 patacas each month and are open to all ages. Private lessons are also available, although they are priced differently.
To contact Nikola, visit his website.
