Tan of horse power

Festive cheer: Tan Cheong Min hanging up Chinese New Year decorations at home.

PETALING JAYA: It’s a short Chinese New Year break but definitely one national wushu queen Tan Cheong Min is looking forward to after being away from her family for almost a year.

Cheong Min, who was named the Best Female Athlete for Malaysia at the Thailand SEA Games recently, is glad to be home ushering in the Year of the Horse in Tanjung Minyak, Melaka.

She and her teammates have a one-week break to celebrate Chinese New Year before they return to training.

“We do not have many opportunities like these as our time is always spent for training and competitions.

“There were some years when I spent Chinese New Year overseas because of training commitments to prepare for competitions.

“Normally, I would visit my grandparents house and my relatives. I will also go to visit my friends in my hometown as well.

“My family members will also sit down with me to view videos of my achievements in the previous year.

“Seeing their happiness also gives me the motivation to continue to perform at the highest level,” said the 27-year-old, who is the most decorated world champions in Malaysian wushu.

Cheong Min emerged as one of the most successful wushu exponents after winning two gold medals at the World Championships in Brazil last year to take her career tally to four.

Tan Cheong Min

Undeniably, Cheong Min is hoping for the Year of the Horse to be as good to her as last year.

She has her sights set on the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games this year where she hopes to improve on the silver she won at the last Games in Hangzhou in 2023.

“Our team’s primary focus after this is the Asian Games. This competition is essential to me. I am giving 100 per cent focus to my training.

“Wushu is a very tough sport, especially with two events combined into one medal.

“The competition across Asia is exceptionally strong and every athlete is fighting for that podium.

“We know what we are up against because the team from China is formidable, but in competition, anything can happen. Mistakes can be made by anyone, so what seems impossible might become possible.

“We will keep fighting for it,” said Cheong Min, who also made history in Chengdu, China last year by delivering Malaysia’s first-ever World Games wushu gold medal in the nanquan and nandao all-round event.