Wushu exponent Shin Peng a picture of joy and relief after stunning feat in Brazil

Impressive feat: Si Shin Peng put up a near flawless display in the men’s qiangshu to pick up the gold medal at the World Championships in Brazil.

PETALING JAYA: It was joy and relief at the same time for wushu exponent Si Shin Peng, who rocked the stage for Malaysia on the second day of the World Championships in Brasilia, Brazil.

The 23-year-old, making his debut appearance in a world championships, put up a near flawless routine to score 9.756 points in the men’s qiangshu (spear) event.

Macao exponent Kuong Chi Hin claimed the silver with 9.743 points with Japan’s Araki Motoyoshi settling for bronze with 9.740 points.

Shin Peng’s surprise act secured Malaysia the first gold medal in the biennial world meet, which is taking place in South America for the first time.

“It’s for the country, which just celebrated Merdeka.

“I was hopeful of a medal but did not expect to win the competition,” said the Melaka-born Shin Peng, who took gold in qiangshu event at the 2019 Asian junior championships when he was only 17.

Along with all that joy, Shin Peng was just as relieved after becoming wushu’s latest world champion for Malaysia.

He was roped into the national team three years ago but was on the verge of being dropped from the Podium Programme at the beginning of the year.

He was then given a second chance to prove his worth this year and there is no questioning what he is capable of after this.

“The National Sports Council did not extend his contract in the Podium Programme this year because of the lack of results but we pleaded that he be allowed to continue one more year.

“We are happy that Shin Peng has showed us what he can do at the highest level of this sport.

“Some athletes take a longer time to come up and now we hope he can be the successor to our former world champion Wong Weng Son,” said Wushu Federation of Malaysia president Datuk Chong Kim Fatt.

Shin Peng competes in the same discipline as two-time world champion exponent Weng Son, who retired last year.

Sydney Chin just missed out on a second medal for Malaysia after placing fourth in the women’s taijiquan event (9.733).

Tan Cheong Min, who had delivered silver in the women’s nandao event on Wednesday, had to settle for 10th place in the nanquan event (9.623).

Malaysia have now won one gold, one silver and one bronze after two days of competition.

Lee Jia Rong contributed the first medal for Malaysia after taking bronze in the women’s gunshu event on Wednesday.