Bermuda's Wushu team has arrived in Brazil ahead of the 17th World Wushu Championships, which begin on 1 September and run until 7 September 2025.
The island nation is being represented by three Sanshou competitors — Kaelin Cox, Krista Dyer and Ryah Symonds — who have settled into their training camp under the supervision of Bermuda Sanshou Association president Garon Wilkinson and coaches Dwayne Cox, Chaquita Simmons and Adriano Lourenco da Silva.
The squad’s arrival completes a period of final preparations after months of domestic training and qualification events. With the competition less than a week away, the focus in Brazil has been on acclimatization, light sparring and fine-tuning tactics ahead of the tournament’s opening day.
Bermuda arrives at the World Championships seeking experience and progression on the world stage. The championships attract elite athletes from around the globe and provide a stern test in the full-contact Sanshou discipline, where timing, range and conditioning are critical.
Wilkinson and the coaching team have emphasized a measured approach: protecting the athletes’ fitness while sharpening the technical and strategic elements needed for high-level international bouts. The delegation have been working on game plans tailored to each competitor and monitoring recovery as the competition approaches.
For Cox, Dyer and Symonds, the week in Brazil represents both an opportunity to compete against top opposition and to gain experience that could help grow the sport back home. Officials say the wider objective is to raise the profile of Sanshou in Bermuda and build toward future international campaigns.
While medals will be a welcome outcome, the immediate priority for the Bermudian contingent is to deliver composed, disciplined performances and gather lessons that can be taken forward into the next Olympic cycle and regional competitions.
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