WUSHU world champions Tan Cheong Min and Chan Lu Yi were unexpectedly dropped from the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games squad yesterday.
It was especially dumbfounding to see Cheong Min axed as she had a breakthrough season last year.
The Malacca-born not only won the nanquan (barehands southern style) gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Bulgaria but also took the 40 movements taijiquan title at the World Taijiquan Championships in Warsaw.
The 19-year-old ended last season with a silver in the taijijian (sword) event at the Taolu World Cup in Fuzhou.
Penang-born Lu Yi was a gold medallist in the duilian (duel event) event with Aggie Cheah and Audrey Chan at the 2015 Sea Games in Singapore.
Cheong Min and Lu Yi along with men’s taijiquan exponent Loh Choon How, who was also not short listed for the Sea Games, however, will represent the country at the World University Games in Taiwan on Aug 26-29.
The Sea Games wushu competition takes place on Aug 20-22.
Seasoned exponents Diana Bong, Tai Cheau Xuen, Loh Jack Chang, Wong Weng Son and Phoon Eyin are among those selected for the Sea Games.
“We dropped the three because they were not good enough. We can only name six men and six women for the Sea Games. Their names were submitted earlier but barring injuries, those in the final squad will be the ones competing,” said team manager Ho Ro Bin yesterday.
“The pressure will be on the exponents to deliver in KL. Your friends and family members will be watching you. The exponents are having weekly sessions with a psychologist at the National Sports Institute to prepare them mentally.”
Ro Bin won two gold medals in wushu when KL last hosted the Sea Games in 2001, where Malaysia achieved a record haul of 6-2-5.
Six of the selected exponents — Diana, Cheah Xuen, Phoon Eyin, Aggie, Audrey and Jack Chang — have won gold in the previous Sea Games editions.
The exponents are in Fuzhou for a training stint and will return early next month.
The team — Men: Ho Mun Hua (nanquan, combined nandao and nangun), Gjeblehem Bong (nanquan, combined nandao and nangun), Khaw Jun Lim (changquan, combined daoshu and gunshu), Yeap Wai Kin (changquan, qiangshu, jianshu), Loh Jack Chang (taijiquan, taijijian), Wong Weng Son (qiangshu, jianshu).
Women: Diana Bong (nanquan, combined nandao and nangun), Tai Cheau Xuen (nanquan, combined nandao and nangun), Phoon Eyin (qiangshu, jianshu), Audrey Chan (taijiquan, taijijian), Aggie Cheah (changquan, qiangshu, jianshu), Loh Ying Ting (changquan, daoshu, gunshu).