Wushu wondergirl

Judo,karate and taekwondo can still ring a bell in India,but wushu was too exotic,too complex to understand,too much of a lot of things shuffled together and too Chinese in its essence. But on Wednesday,Sandhyarani Devi Wangkhem,a 27-year-old CRPF constable,earned India its first silver in this martial games sport,after losing the 60 kg category final to spirited Iranian Khadijeh Azadpour,earning the sport some rare spotlight on an otherwise lean day.

If the Manipuri girl’s three winning bouts in a row — including the semifinal— had gone unnoticed,the Iranian on the other hand had received the loudest applause from the Chinese throughout her journey towards Iran’s first gold medal at the Asiad in 30 years. But,first on the gutsy Manipuri from Thoubal district where the freestle form of Sanshou is popular. The sport combines kick boxing’s punches and kicks and wrestling’s ‘patak’ throwing techniques. In Thoubal it finds many takers and this district forms India’s talent base. A multiple medalist at South Asian Games,Sandhyarani had earned India its first continental silver medal at the Asian Championship in 2008.

Not getting a ‘kick’

Suffering from a calf injury,the Indian made do with just the punching — reduced to defend against the World Champion — and unable to employ the kicks as she went down to the eventual winner. “Gold medal is not easy,but I’m happy with the silver,” she later said.

Khadijeh Azadpour knows a thing or two about difficulty,as the Iranians are expected to fight in full body-suit and head-scarves,greatly hampering their movements.

But with Chinese assistance — including coaches and six months stints in China— the Iranian girl has not only warmed up to this martial-art but is the reigning World Champion from Toronto 2009 in her category and now a legend after Wednesday.

Her kohl-lined eyes and shapely eyebrows plus the perfect pearly smile would give no indication of what she trains for night and day. But once in the square-ring,she can turn into a scowling tigress — the sport gives more liberties than amateur boxing — and route her aggression into the most pointed punches and kicks,never shying from going for the jugular on her day.

In Guangzhou,a city greatly influenced by Hong Kong icons Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan— and China’s new pop kung fu star Zhen Zidan— more gelled slick than floppy haired with his latest fight-flick running to packed cinemas — it was no surprise that Wushu with its live stunts attracted an almost packed house.

While the Chinese finalists were cheered lustily,Iranian Khadijeh cut the most fantastic frames climbing onto her lady coach in a bear-hug and her male counterpart Mohsen Mohammadseifi couldn’t hold his tears on the podium,even as Indian Sandhyarani— who fights with her hair pulled up in a cute standing pony sticking out of the head-gear — enjoyed her few minutes of rare fame.