Naorem Roshibina Devi secured a silver medal in the women's 60kg sanda wushu event at the Asian Games 2023 held in Hangzhou, China.

In the final match, Naorem Roshibina Devi faced China's Wu Xiaowei and lost 2-0, securing the second spot on the podium.

This marked Naorem Roshibina Devi's second Asian Games medal, having previously won bronze at the 2018 Games in Jakarta.

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She reached the quarter-finals by defeating Kazakhstan's Aiman Karshyga with a WPD (winner by point difference) victory, ensuring a medal. Whereas, in the last four, she beat Vietnam's Thi Thu Thuy Nguyen 2-0, earning her place in the gold medal match.

What did Roshibina Devi say after winning the silver medal at the Asian Games?

“Everybody makes mistakes. Winning and losing is a part of it. I gave my best but I couldn’t do it (winning the gold medal), but the next time I will improve on my mistakes and come back better the next time,” she said after the final.

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Who is Roshibina Devi? How did she take up the sport?

Roshibina Devi Naorem hails from Bishnupur in Manipur and is the daughter of a farmer. She developed a deep passion for the sport of wushu from an early age.

In 2016, Roshibina made her mark in the wushu world by winning a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships, showcasing her talent and dedication to the sport.

“There’s a good culture of wushu in Manipur in India. I fell in love with wushu when I saw it for the first time during a district competition. That’s when I wanted to pick it up. I knew boxing and used to try it but I liked wushu more,” she had said before the final.

She was in tears after the final and revealed that her coaches even prevented her from getting in touch with her family while she was preparing for the Asian Games so that she did not lose her focus.

The Indian North Eastern state of Manipur has been in turmoil for months now, with ethnic conflicts between the kuki and meitei tribes.

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What is Sanda and How Does Wushu Work?

Sanda, also known as Chinese Kickboxing, is a full-contact martial art and combat sport that originated in China. It is an integral part of the broader martial art known as Wushu. Here's how Sanda and Wushu work:

Sanda (Chinese Kickboxing):

1. Full-Contact Sport: Sanda is a full-contact combat sport that combines various striking and grappling techniques. It allows competitors to use punches, kicks, knees, elbows, and throws to score points or defeat their opponents.
2. Rules: Sanda has specific rules and regulations governing strikes, takedowns, and clinches. Fighters aim to score points by landing clean and effective strikes or by successfully executing takedowns.
3. Safety: Safety equipment, including headgear, gloves, shin guards, and mouthguards, is typically worn by fighters to minimize injuries.
4. Scoring: Judges score rounds based on effective striking and control during clinches or takedowns. Knockouts and technical knockouts can also result in victory.
5. Training: Sanda practitioners undergo rigorous training in striking techniques, defense, throws, and takedowns. It emphasizes both striking skills and the ability to control an opponent.

Wushu:

1. Chinese Martial Art: Wushu is a traditional Chinese martial art that encompasses various styles, including both armed and unarmed combat techniques.
2. Competitive Sport: In addition to its traditional roots, Wushu has evolved into a competitive sport. It is divided into two main categories: Taolu (forms) and Sanda (sparring).
3. Taolu: Taolu involves choreographed sequences of movements and forms, where athletes perform a series of techniques with precision and style. It is judged based on factors like difficulty and execution.
4. Sanda: As mentioned earlier, Sanda is the combat aspect of Wushu, where practitioners apply their martial arts skills in a sparring format.

In summary, Sanda is a combat sport within the broader discipline of Wushu. While Wushu includes both forms (Taolu) and combat (Sanda), Sanda focuses on practical martial arts skills in a competitive, full-contact setting, allowing fighters to use a range of striking and grappling techniques to defeat their opponents.

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