After winning world title, wushu ace wishes for more awareness

Alexander Gabriel delos Reyes shows fine form. —CONTRIBUTED

Alexander Gabriel Delos Reyes started wushu at a very young age and finally hit it big on the global stage.

Now a world champion at 17, he now wants more people to be aware of the sport.

“I’ve been with the national team since 2016. I hope this victory could create more awareness since our sport isn’t as popular,’’ said Delos Reyes after seizing the boys’ taijishan world title at the recent 9th World Junior Wushu Championships in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.

Delos Reyes tallied a combined score of 9.150 after his routine in the taolu (forms) event, edging Hong Kong’s Tin Lok Lee (9.130) and Vietnam’s Nguyen Khac Le Hoang for the gold after beating the finest junior wushu artists on the planet.

First career gold

“It would be great to encourage more people to get into wushu. If you really look at it, wushu is not just a sport, it’s a beautiful art form,’’ said Delos Reyes after capturing his first career gold medal.

Last year’s Siklab Youth Sports awardee brought his act to the junior worlds four times and pocketed bronze medals in the first three.

“I’ve become familiar with the competitors from other countries. I was able to identify the gaps in my skills compared to them,’’ said Delos Reyes.

“Preparation was intense. I focused on techniques and minor details as well as strengthening myself mentally, physically and emotionally,’’ he added.

Joining Delos Reyes during the awarding rites were Filipino sanda fighters Johanna Jeiel Barbero and Mark John Lazo, who both took home bronze medals.

Barbero defeated Dinidi Acharige of Sri Lanka, 2-0, in the quarterfinal of the girls’ junior 48 kilogram (kg) before missing the final following a 2-0 setback at the hands of Indonesia’s Adriana Putri.

Lazo made it past the quarters in the boys’ junior 48kg, but wasn’t fortunate enough against China’s Huanran Gong, 2-0, in the semifinals.

The 16-year-old Lazo was discovered during last year’s Philippine Sports Commission Batang Pinoy Games, while Barbero, 17, broke out in the Palarong Pambansa three months back in Cebu City.

“These tournaments (Batang Pinoy and Palarong Pambansa) help our sport to become better known. We’re really excited every time new athletes for wushu are discovered,’’ said Delos Reyes. INQ