Sanda World Cup to return to birthplace of martial arts

The Sanda World Cup is expected to ignite passion for the combat sport when it returns to China, the birthplace of traditional martial arts.

The world's most-gifted martial artists will come together from Nov 4 to Nov 6 to compete at the 8th Sanda World Cup, which will be held in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, organizers announced recently.

The biennial event sanctioned by the International Wushu Federation will attract about 80 athletes from 27 countries and regions to compete in a total of 18 men's and women's categories of sanda, a combat sport originating from Chinese kung fu that combines punching, kicking and wrestling.

It will be the second time for Xi'an, a city with a rich martial arts heritage which host China's national sanda team, to stage the high-profile event — the first time was in 2006.

The event will be jointly organized by the Chinese Wushu Association, Shaanxi Provincial Wushu Administrative Center and the preparatory committee of China's first Wushu industry investment fund.

Athletes from around the world will not only compete in the competition, but they will also share their experience and knowledge about the technical aspects and values of martial arts, organizers said.

Zhang Qiuping, the chairman of CWA, said hosting the event in the birthplace of traditional martial arts is significant.

"To demonstrate the highest level of martial arts in front of the most sophisticated wushu fans in the world is a perfect way to further promote wushu as a combat sport worldwide. The success of the event will help wushu bid for inclusion in future Olympics," he said.

Wushu's world governing body, the International Wushu Federation, which currently has 147 member countries and regions, has been promoting the inclusion of the sport in the Olympic program.

The International Olympic Committee approved the inclusion of a martial arts competition as a demonstration event at the 2008 Olympic Games. Wushu was also accepted as one of the showcase events at the 2nd Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, Jiangsu province in 2014.