Kunshan, China – August
Seven members of the Duke Kunshan University Tai Chi Team competed in the 2026 Jiangsu Provincial School Martial Arts Championship at Suzhou University of Science and Technology this past weekend. The team competed in four events and earned three first-place awards, four second-place awards, and two additional awards.
Tai Chi Team Members’ Awards
Team captain and senior Zhaoxuan Li placed first in both the 32-Form Tai Chi Sword and 24-Form Tai Chi events. Sophomore Youzhu Wang also placed first in the 42-Form Tai Chi event, following several previous competitions in the event. Seniors Yicen Xie, Muhan Wang, and Haoyuan Zheng, along with sophomores Yishu Wang and Haihan Wang, also competed in their respective events and delivered solid performances.
A Tai Chi athlete competes at the championship
For Youzhu, the competition was an opportunity to put her training into practice. “I was still a little nervous in my previous competitions,” she said. “This time, I felt much calmer. I was able to follow the rhythm I had developed in training, and that was what I was most satisfied with.”
A Tai Chi athlete performs during the competition
Several key team members were studying away from campus this semester and were unable to compete, which affected the team’s overall lineup. Despite this, the members who competed performed well in their respective events. For some, it was their first provincial-level competition; for others, it was another opportunity to build confidence and refine their skills through competition.
The Tai Chi Team poses after the competition
For the athletes, the value of competition goes beyond the results. Each experience helps them better understand their strengths, identify areas for improvement, and grow through challenges. In this way, the team continues to develop not only as athletes, but also as students who set goals, reflect on their progress, and keep moving forward.
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