666 athletes from 78 countries and regions to compete at World Junior Wushu Championships

TIANJIN, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The 10th World Junior Wushu Championships opened here on Wednesday, attracting 1,179 participants from 78 countries and regions, including 666 athletes.

The competition running from March 26 to 30 features three age categories: children, juniors, and youth. A total of 83 gold medals will be awarded across 66 events in taolu and 17 events in sanda.

This edition serves as a preparation and squad selection for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games, and a platform to evaluate the outcomes of training programs.

The event introduced an innovative preliminary-final system for taolu for the first time to enhance competitiveness. For three popular events -- men's youth changquan, men's youth gunshu, and women's youth changquan, athletes competed in preliminary groups and the top 12 from each group will advance to the finals.

"Since its birth in 2006, the World Junior Wushu Championships, as the IWUF's most influential youth event, has not only served as a stage for cultivating future talents, exchanging skills, and pursuing dreams, but has also played a positive role in promoting Wushu culture, fostering mutual understanding among civilizations, and deepening friendship and peace," said Zhang Yuping, Secretary General of the International Wushu Federation (IWUF), on the opening ceremony.