Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium is lighted during the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Sep 23, 2023. Photo:Xinhua

 
After winning the men's Changquan title at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang Province on Sunday, 34-year-old veteran Sun Peiyuan achieved his third consecutive Asian Games championship. 

For wushu, a sport that has not yet been recognized as an official Olympic event, Sun has always had an Olympic dream. When talking about the sport's growing fan base abroad, Sun told the Global Times that this is due to the strong charm and influence of Chinese culture.

“Five years ago, I was quite nervous during the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Over the past five years, my mindset has changed. During the competition, I told myself that I can perform well,” Sun said.

When talking about the feeling of achieving three consecutive victories in the Asian Games, Sun said that this time the Hangzhou Asian Games is different from the past because this time he is fighting on home soil. The cheering from the crowd was also more enthusiastic so he feels very confident.

Wushu, or martial art, is an important component of the cultural heritage of China, with a rich history stretching back centuries.

In the Hangzhou Games, not only are there many countries involved in the wushu competitions, but also an increasing number of foreign athletes are incorporating Chinese elements into their performances. In the Taijiquan competition held on Sunday morning, the participant from Brunei used the soundtrack "Yingshanhong" (literally azalea) from the movie "Sparkling Red Star", while the participant from the Philippines chose the soundtrack pf a China’s patriotic song "Dongfanghong" (literally the east is red).

Regarding the growth in the number of  foreign athletes in wushu events, Sun said that it was not only happening in Asian countries, but also in other countries, more and more people began to like Chinese traditional culture and Chinese elements of music, and all this stems from the growing influence of Chinese culture.

Regarding the future development of wushu, Sun hopes that through the efforts of generation after generation in the future, the event can enter the Olympic Games as soon as possible.