CAIRO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- For a second year in a row, China's Kungfu Wushu team emerged victorious at the "Horus Wushu Sanda Championship" between China and Egypt.
The competition, held in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, was organized by the Chinese Embassy's Cultural Center in Cairo in cooperation with the Wushu associations of the two countries.
This year's competition included 26 male and female athletes with four teams each composed of seven players. The final result was 7-6 in favor of China.
Wushu, a Chinese martial art and a full-contact sport, is composed of two disciplines: Taolu (forms) and Sanda (sparring).
Sanda is a modern fighting method that combines kickboxing and wrestling in addition to grappling techniques.
The tournament was largely attended by the Chinese community in Egypt who waved Chinese flags and chanted slogans in support of their nationals.
Zhang Genxue, head coach of the Chinese Wushu Sanda Team, said the Egyptian team played very well to the cheering of the home audience.
"This represents a good effect of the promotion of Chinese Wushu Sanda in Egypt," he told Xinhua.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian minister of youth and sport who watched the tournament said the championship is part of Egypt-China strong and distinguished relations on both official and popular levels.
He stressed the importance of cooperation between the two countries in sports so as to benefit from their mutual experience.
During the opening ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Song Aiguo said holding the tournament for the second consecutive year proves how strong the Chinese-Egyptian ties are.
He expressed happiness to see such large crowds watch the competition.
Before the competitions started, Egyptian and Chinese athletes of different ages presented a performance of Kungfu Wushu styles and techniques that captivated the audience.
Mohamed Ashour, chairman of Egyptian Wushu Federation, said "Horus Wushu Sanshou Championship" develops every year with female athletes included in this year's competitions.
"We are discussing with our Chinese counterparts the possibility of making it an international competition where up to eight countries can join," he told Xinhua.
For his part, Yahiya Fawzi, deputy chairman of Egyptian Wushu Federation, said Kungfu Wushu is a Chinese martial art sport, adding that China is a pioneer country in this game.
"The tournament helped spread the game among Egyptians," he told Xinhua. "The huge audience can tell how popular the sport is."
According to Fawzi, the Egyptian national team will start a two-week training session in China in May to prepare for the Mediterranean Wushu Championships that will be held in the same month, and the World Wushu Championships which will kick off in October.
Meanwhile, the Chinese cultural counsellor in Egypt Shi Yuewen said the games were impressive, adding that the teams of the two countries achieved good results.
Shi stressed that the tournament is meant to strengthen ties between the two countries, noting that sports, which enjoy popularity among all nations, can bring people together.
Hayat Farag, a female player who won in the 65 kg contest, expressed her happiness to participate in such an important competition.
"I'm extremely happy to win against a Chinese counterpart ... the Chinese are always the best in this game," she told Xinhua as she carried her 10-month-old baby.
