Former world champion Dương Thúy Vi will take part in the Wushu Taolu World Cup 2026 this week in Haikou City, Hainan Province, China. — Photo thethaovanhoa.vn

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s wushu team are ready to compete at the fourth Wushu Taolu World Cup, scheduled for July 7 and 8 in Haikou City, Hainan Province, China, and are aiming to prove their abilities by winning gold.

The Vietnamese squad include leading martial artists, such as former world champion Dương Thúy Vi, Lê Quang Huy and Nguyễn Văn Sỹ.

Considered the highest-level international competition for wushu taolu, a form of the martial art that involves set routines with forms, the Taolu World Cup attracts nearly 200 top athletes from more than 30 countries and regions.

Martial artists will compete in 11 events, including changquan (long fist), nanquan (southern fist), taijiquan (tai chi), daoshu (broadsword) and jianshu (straight sword), with a total of 22 gold medals on offer across men’s and women’s categories.

Dương Thúy Vi, Việt Nam’s top female taolu athlete, is expected to be the key figure for the team at the tournament. The event also provides an opportunity for Vietnamese athletes to assess potential rivals ahead of the Asian Games.

“This is an important competition, as many of the world’s top athletes will take part. The coaching staff will also use the event to evaluate the athletes’ form as we continue preparations for the Asian Games,” a team official said.

At the 2024 Taolu World Cup, Thúy Vi won a silver medal in the women’s jianshu event. She also secured a bronze medal in the same discipline at the 2024 Asian Wushu Championships.

Two years on, Thúy Vi remains one of the most consistent performers on the national team. Although she is the oldest member of the squad, her experience from years of training and international competition is seen as a major advantage.

The Vietnamese team departed for China on July 4, and will have time to familiarise themselves with the venue before the competition begins.

Held biennially, the Wushu Taolu World Cup is organised by the International Wushu Federation. This year marks the fourth edition of the tournament.

Việt Nam have previously won one gold and several other medals in earlier appearances, and finished seventh in the medal table at the 2024 competition. — VNS