CARMEL VALLEY — Gavin Zheng, 13, of Carmel Valley, recently won gold and bronze medals at the 13th Pan American Wushu Championships last month in Brazil.
In July, Zheng, an eighth-grader at Carmel Valley Middle School, traveled with his teammates from Hong Wu Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy to represent the U.S. and compete against athletes from more than a dozen countries.
Zheng took first place in the long fist, or chángquán.
Zheng’s teammates, Solana Ranch students Alice Zhu and Audrey Zhao also took home gold medals at the international event. Zhu took first place in long fist and spear and Zhao won gold in broadsword.
Yingshan Mu, of Pacific Trails Middle, won three silver medals in the long fist, sword and spear. Brothers Aaron and Alexander He, of Carmel Del Mar, won silver medals in sword and long fist, respectively. Aaron Chen, of The Bishop’s School, won two silver medals in Taiga fist and Taiga sword. Ocean Air student Addison Lam won silver in long fist and bronze in cudgel.
Kate Zhao, of Pacific Trails, and Kevin Gu, of Carmel Valley Middle School, each won a bronze medal in cudgel.
“Gavin is a straight-A student and practicing martial arts for the past six years has given him inner strength and confidence,” Gavin’s mother Fiona Zheng told The Coast News.
