In a recent conversation, 19-year-old Wang Anzhu, a Chinese-American martial artist, opened up about his passion for promoting Chinese martial arts, especially after his impressive performance at the 14th Pan American Wushu Championships, where he clinched both a gold and a bronze medal. “I’m eager to showcase the beauty and excitement of martial arts to a wider audience,” he shared.
Wang sees himself as a cultural ambassador, aiming to introduce more young people—both Chinese and foreign—to the captivating world of martial arts. He recalled a piece of advice from his mentor: “The disappointment in competitions comes not from losing, but from winning without enough acknowledgment of the sport.”
Now attending Dawson College in Canada, Wang also teaches martial arts at the Confucius Institute in Montreal. Despite the challenges of balancing his studies and training, he has embraced his role as a coach. “My primary goal is to ignite children’s interest in martial arts. For those who display significant potential, I want to help them cultivate their skills for future competitions,” he explained.
Wang’s martial arts journey began at the age of eight in Toronto. Initially reluctant to train, his curiosity was sparked when he saw his coach perform an impressive backflip. “That really caught my attention, and I decided to give it a shot,” he recalled.
At 13, Wang moved back to Taiwan for rigorous martial arts training. The demanding practice schedule not only honed his skills but also improved his Chinese language proficiency. “The tough training was definitely worthwhile, as it fostered strong bonds with my teammates while laying a solid technical foundation,” he said.
In 2021, Wang made the transition to Quebec. He noticed that, unlike Toronto, the martial arts scene in Quebec was more recreational, with limited training hours available. This led him to commit to daily self-directed training routines, including stretching and sprinting. “During that time, I learned French, and now I can speak four languages: French, English, Chinese, and Spanish,” he shared proudly.
While balancing his academics and competitive martial arts, Wang has earned numerous national and regional awards. His involvement in competitions has allowed him to connect with various communities, often assisting Spanish-speaking friends as a translator at events. “I really enjoy making others feel included,” he said, reminiscing about a recent encounter with two Argentine siblings in his dojo.
Wang also discussed how he manages to juggle his studies with martial arts training. Initially feeling overwhelmed by school demands, he learned to use his time more effectively, organizing his schedule around upcoming exams and competitions. “So far, I’ve been fortunate to receive commendation letters from the dean each semester. I hope to maintain this balance between my studies and martial arts,” he mentioned.
Martial arts have imparted important lessons in resilience and patience to Wang. “Mastering a tough move, like many things in life, requires time. It can be frustrating at the start, but persistence ultimately leads to success,” he explained.
This summer, he returned to Sichuan, his mother’s ancestral home, for intensive training. “It’s a rich learning environment, and I gained so much from over nine hours of daily practice, which also highlighted my improvement areas,” he noted, expressing his intention to return to Sichuan during winter break for further refinement.
Looking ahead, Wang stressed that while winning isn’t the sole purpose of practicing martial arts, he still aims to perform at his best in every competition. He expressed his desire to compete in next year’s World Wushu Championships in Brazil and hopes to achieve a top-three finish.
