Ponzo achieved this feat while representing the National Team of the Portuguese Federation of Chinese Martial Arts. In Portugal, he represents the Shaolin Si school based in S. João da Madeira and had previously won the European title in Russia, all while battling a serious knee injury over the past year.
“I can’t believe it! It has been a very difficult year for me. I had surgery for a torn ACL less than a year ago, etc. I never dreamed I would win a medal at such a large tournament. I was the European champion in Russia and now Vice-Champion in China,” the martial artist said on social media.
First held in 2004, the World Kung Fu Championship occurs every two years and gathers thousands of competitors of all ages and skill levels across all traditional Kung Fu styles to compete in a wide variety of events.
For this edition, the Portuguese Federation of Chinese Martial Arts sent 17 athletes in the veterans, seniors, and juniors categories of traditional Taolu, which consists of choreographed movement sequences that can be practiced with or without weapons.
The competition is divided into events for Chinese and international athletes, with Ponzo achieving second place in the veterans category of traditional Taolu. The 10th edition of the competition took place from October 14 to 20 in Emeishan, in the Chinese province of Sichuan.
The championship is organized by the International Wushu Federation, the global governing body for Wushu, encompassing traditional Chinese martial arts in all its forms. It currently has 162 national/territorial members across five continents and is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the sole global governing authority for Wushu in all its forms.
