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Ethan Yip Wins Silver at World Wushu Championship

Herricks Public Schools is proud to congratulate middle school eighth grader Ethan Yip who earned a silver medal at the 9th World Junior Wushu Championship in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.

This competition, which is organized by the International Wushu Federation, is the highest-level wushu event for youth in the world with 498 athletes participating, representing over 50 countries spanning five continents.

The term "wushu" is Chinese for "martial technique". It comes from the Beijing dialect, where "wǔ" means "martial" or "military" and "shù" means "art".

Ethan began his training in martial arts at age five with taekwondo lessons and immediately felt the connection to his ancestral heritage through his practice. Despite its reputation as a self-defense discipline, he was immediately drawn to the performance and gymnastic aspects of wushu, enjoying the jumps, flips and theatrical floor routines rather than sparring with an opponent.

His first competitive experience was a mock event in Phoenix, where he remembers being intimidated by the skills of the other competitors. He was 11-years-old, and it was an older teammate that acted as a mentor and helped him focus and prepare for his routine. The support helped and Ethan was awarded 3rd place in his category.

In 2022, Ethan competed in his first major tournament, the Pan American Wushu Championship in Brazil. He admits to being nervous prior to his performance and was concerned that he wasn’t prepared, but his coaches and teammates once again provided the confidence that he needed to succeed and he came in 5th place for his Changquan performance, which is a routine featuring fully extended kicks and striking techniques.

Qualifying for the 9th World Wushu Championship was a dream come true for Ethan. He was part of a team of 20 athletes traveling from the United States to Brunei and was thrilled to be a part of the global event, with countless cultures and backgrounds represented. Ethan enjoyed meeting new people, discussing the similarities and differences in their backgrounds and felt that everyone was very friendly. But once the competition started, it was time to focus on his routine.

Ethan recalls the intense beating of his heart as he prepared to begin and his performance being “a complete blur,” but was beyond excited when it was announced that he earned a silver medal for his broadsword routine.

Participating in these international competitions has giving Ethan a new outlook on many aspects of his life, including school, extracurricular activities and his wushu training. He acknowledges being in awe of the focus and discipline of other competitors, especially those from China and Singapore and recalls that during their warmups “there was zero discussion, you could hear a pin drop. They were completely focused on their practice and were 100% present with no distractions. It was amazing to watch.” Ethan discussed techniques he witnessed with his teammates and is also incorporating this mental focus and “act of being present” into his schoolwork, homework and cello practice. He believes that mindfulness is essential if you want to achieve success in anything you do.

Ethan is looking forward to continuing his training in preparation for the US Team Trials, which will determine his next competition. He is hoping to join the junior team for the 2026 World Wushu Championships in Tianjin, China, but also has his eye on the ultimate prize, a spot in the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal.

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