A 62-YEAR-OLD man has claimed two top prizes at the fourth World Traditional Wushu Championships in Hubei Province.

    The championships last month attracted more than 2,000 athletes from 83 countries and regions.

    Dubbed the “monkey king” for his skilled monkey boxing, Zhao Qisheng competed in the senior cudgel and shadow boxing events as a member of the Shenzhen Wushu Association team and took the crown, the Daily Sunshine reported.

    Born to a working family in Northeast China’s Jilin Province, Zhao started learning Chinese martial arts at the age of 6 and later became the then youngest professional wushu exponent in China.

    Zhao was later instructed by Xiao Yingpeng, recognized as China’s first generation of “monkey king” boxers.

    Zhao insisted on visiting a zoo each day for six months to observe monkeys and imitate their actions and facial expressions.

    After winning a number of wushu awards, he enrolled in the Wushu Department of Wuhan Sports University at the age of 17 and began learning wushu theory.

    He arrived in Shenzhen to promote wushu in 2001 and was employed as head wushu coach at Shenzhen Longyuan School, affiliated with Wuhan Sports University.

    A year later, he led his students to win top prizes in 17 of the 22 events in a citywide wushu championships, earning him a reputation in local wushu circles.

    As well as being an athlete, coach and referee, Zhao is credited as wushu director in more than 40 films and TV dramas.

    Zhao’s greatest wish is for wushu to become an event at the Olympics. (Li Hao)