Wushu event fosters international fellowship

Speaking of how wushu has influenced her life, Venezuelan athlete Valeria Dudamel summarized it in three words: "perseverance", "discipline" and "determination". "Those words belong not only to the training ground, but also to my daily life," she said.

Dudamel competed in the daoshu, or saber play event, at this year's championships. Every morning, she was among the first to arrive at the training venue. Once practice began, she rarely stopped. Opening stance, turns, downward cuts and closing movements — every action was repeated and refined over and over again.

Even during short breaks, she remained at the training area, silently rehearsing arm trajectories and footwork. Until the very last moment before stepping onto the floor, the broadsword never left her hand. "One of the most important lessons from learning wushu is how to face failure," she said. "What truly shapes a person is often not the moment of victory, but the humility and growth formed through mistakes, reflection and starting over again."

As these values extend beyond individual experience, what they connect is no longer limited to personal growth, but a shared value language among people from different cultural backgrounds.

After the taolu, or routine martial arts finals, Ludmila Rosales from Argentina and Catalina Brun Leiva from Peru approached the opponents they had just competed against and asked to exchange pins. They attached the new pins to their accreditation lanyards and happily posed for photos. The pins symbolized a bridge of goodwill, they said.

When asked what wushu had brought to them, both athletes mentioned "confidence", "love", "perseverance" and "friendship".