China Dominates as Niche Sports and New Events Shine

China maintained its lead in the medal table at the Chengdu World Games on Tuesday, accumulating 18 gold, 6 silver, and 2 bronze medals. The spotlight shone on less mainstream sports, including wushu, squash, and beach handball, attracting large audiences.

The Chinese wushu sanda team achieved significant success on Tuesday, securing three gold medals. Chen Mengyue won the women's 52kg final, Li Zhiqin claimed the women's 60kg title, and Tang Sishuo took the men's 56kg gold. Wushu, originating in China and developed over millennia, has evolved from practical combat skills into a comprehensive sport. It combines fitness, performance, and competition, characterized by unique offensive and defensive techniques and rich cultural significance.

Wushu first appeared at the World Games in 2009 as an invitational sport. In 2025, it is featured as an official competition event, encompassing taolu (routines) and sanda. In sanda, athletes compete in weight-based divisions, employing wushu's punching, kicking, and throwing techniques in close-range combat.

Compared to many Western combat sports, wushu is relatively new on the international stage. Its inclusion as an official World Games event allows more countries to experience this Chinese full-contact combat sport.

Besides sanda, other niche sports like squash and beach handball also held their finals on Tuesday. Squash, a spectator-friendly indoor racquet sport, is set to be an official event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and its early debut at the World Games provides an opportunity to promote the sport globally.

The World Games also provides a platform for athletes with disabilities. The finals of para-jiu-jitsu, which includes categories for physical disability, visual impairment, and intellectual disability, took place on Tuesday. Events for athletes with disabilities highlight the philosophy of "sports without boundaries, everyone can participate." Para-sports are included in the World Games for the second time, with an increase in both the number of events and participating athletes.

Starting Tuesday, 18 major sports with 23 sub-disciplines, including US football, freestyle kickboxing, drone racing, powerboating, triathlon, and ground bowling, will gradually begin. Drone racing and other debuting events have garnered considerable attention. The drone racing competition is scheduled for Thursday. Large LED screens have been installed to enhance the viewing experience, allowing spectators to experience the racecourse from a first-person perspective.