The HYX Oceania International Invitational Wushu Kung Fu Championships 2026 was successfully held from May 22-24 at the Sleeman Sports Center in Brisbane, Australia. The event attracted nearly 200 participants from 11 countries and regions, including 158 athletes. As the largest and highest-level international wushu event ever held in Oceania to date, the successful hosting of this event represents a significant milestone, marking a new stage of development for wushu in the Oceania region.
Closing Ceremony
On the evening of May 24, the closing ceremony began with a video review highlighting the tournament's exciting moments. Shao Yingjian, the Chief Referee of the event, presented certificates to the referees, expressing gratitude for their crucial role in ensuring fair and just officiating and contributing to the success of the event.
Ms. Catherine Close, a representative of the Event Organizing Committee, presented certificates to all the volunteers, thanking them for their meticulous, attentive, and thoughtful service that helped make the event a success.
Kim Fatt Chong, member of IWUF Executive Board, presented an IWUF commemorative gift to Shao Zhaoming, Chairman of the Event Organizing Committee, in recognition of the committee’s hard work and meticulous preparation for the event.
Shao Zhaoming, Chairman of the Event Organizing Committee, delivered a speech expressing sincere gratitude to all athletes, referees, and volunteers. He noted that this event marks the first time a large-scale, high-level international wushu event has been successfully held in Oceania, signifying that wushu has entered a new stage of development in the region. This event has not only greatly contributed to improving the competitive level of local athletes but will also strongly promote the deeper dissemination and long-term development of wushu culture throughout Oceania.
Subsequently, three renowned wushu masters—Chen Younan, Dong Bei, and Chen Weixiong took the stage together, leading outstanding participating athletes in a spectacular martial arts performance. Chen Younan’s nanquan was powerful and forceful; Dong Bei’s baguazhang featured steps as swift as the wind; and Chen Weixiong’s pudao was majestic and awe-inspiring. The seamless interplay of hard and soft techniques, along with the flowing, uninterrupted weapon displays, drew continuous rounds of applause from the audience.
Finally, Shao Zhaoming, Chairman of the Event Organizing Committee, declared The HYX Oceania International Invitational Wushu Kung Fu Championships 2026 closed. The event came to a successful conclusion in a warm and festive atmosphere.
Event Highlights
After two days of competition across four sessions, athletes from around the world gathered in Oceania, making friends through wushu and building bonds in Brisbane. They fully demonstrated the unique charm of wushu and injected new vitality into the development of the sport in Oceania.
The international adult competitions included wushu optional routines and sanda, while the youth divisions featured compulsory routines divided into three age groups. Following two days of intense competition across 57 events, New Zealand topped the medal table with 9 gold and 7 silver medals. Host country Australia finished second with 8 gold, 5 silver, and 6 bronze medals, followed by China in third place with 8 gold and 1 bronze medal.
The traditional wushu events comprised five age groups, covering a wide range of participants from children under 12 to seniors over 60. The event provided a platform for practitioners of different ages and backgrounds to make friends through wushu and showcase their skills and talent.
This event fully adhered to international standards. It adopted an online registration system and IWUF-certified timing and scoring systems, ensuring a professional level of competition. In terms of event organization, the IWUF appointed experienced international referees to officiate, guaranteeing both professionalism and fairness in the competition.
Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics Wushu Promotion Ambassador Elizabeth Lim claimed one silver and one bronze medal at the event. Her outstanding performance on the competition floor inspired many young wushu athletes in Oceania, showcasing the presence and strength of a wushu promotion ambassador.
“The atmosphere was so friendly! It didn't feel like we were competing against each other," said 21-year-old Liam Whitehead after the event. The athlete from Melbourne, Australia, won a gold medal in the nanquan routine in the domestic division of the event.
Chris Murray, 44, bronze medalist in bajiquan, first encountered wushu through a Chinese classmate in high school and gradually fell in love with the sport. Now a linguistics lecturer at Monash University, he noted that wushu is not just physical exercise but also carries rich cultural connotations. "Wushu practitioners are like painters and artists we come here in pursuit of this 'art.' We don’t distinguish between winners and losers; instead, we learn from each other and improve together. As wushu continues to develop in Oceania, the variety of styles we can access is also growing."
The successful hosting of this event would not have been possible without support from various parties. The event was title-sponsored by Hengyuanxiang, with strong support from China Sports Industry, and sponsorship from international and local enterprises including Kelme and Irelax. In addition, the event received coverage from major media outlets such as Australia’s 7NEWS and Xinhua News Agency.
The success of this event will undoubtedly further expand the influence of wushu in Australia and across Oceania, propel the region’s development to a new level, and enhance the international reach of wushu—bridging mountains and seas through wushu, opening a new chapter in the development of wushu both internationally and in Oceania.
