Task made a Tan heavier

In the spotlight: Wushu world champion Tan Cheong Min answering questions from the media yesterday. — LOW LAY PHON/The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s newly crowned wushu world champion Tan Cheong Min carries a heavier burden going into her second SEA Games appearance in Thailand in December.

The 27-year-old from Melaka was the toast of the Malaysian team when she bagged two SEA Games gold medals in the nanquan and nandao-nangun combined events in Cambodia two years ago.

But this time, the stakes are higher as the organisers have combined all her events into one.

There was no room for another world champion exponent Lee Jia Rong in the Malaysian squad as her events has been dropped from the SEA Games.

Jia Rong won gold in women’s daoshu and bronze in gunshu at the World Championships in Brazil last month.

World Games silver medallist Pang Pui Yee will take part with Loh Ying Ting for women’s changquan-qiangshu-jianshu while Malaysia also have two representatives in Sydney Chin and Mandy Cebelle Chen for taijiquan-taijijian.

World Championships double gold medallist Si Shin Peng is among four male exponents making their SEA Games debut in Thailand as he will compete alongside Danish Aizad Mohd Firdaus Chua for changquan-daoshu-gunshu event.

The other SEA Games newcomers are Bryan Ti Kai Jie for men’s nanquan-nandao-nangun and Wong Zi Hong for men’s taijiquan-taijijian.

Vietnam SEA Games winner Clement Ting will focus on the duilian events.

The SEA Games will be the last assignment for the national wushu team and Cheong Min is expecting a heavy workload for the 10-member team heading to Thailand.

“It’s going to be tough mentally for everybody as we have to perform in four or five events over three consecutive days,” said the former National Sportswoman of the Year.

“We have just started our training for the SEA Games not long after our break after returning from the World Championships.

“They have combined all three events for the SEA Games, which has never happened before, as previously it is either one or two at most. So it’s going to be very tough physically and other countries have the opportunity to get the gold as the favourite can’t afford to make even one mistake.

“It’s tougher for me to focus on many events as I am 27 now but I think I can cope, with good preparation and going in with the right strategy.

For the record, Malaysia bagged two gold, two silver and six bronze medals in wushu at the last SEA Games in Cambodia two years ago.

Wushu will be held in Songkhla from Dec 12-14.