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India Wins First Gold at 11th Sanda World Cup
Indian wushu athlete Aparna Dahiya secured a gold medal in the women’s 52kg category at the 11th Sanda World Cup in Macau after defeating reigning world champion Thi Phuong Nga Ngo in the final.
Indian wushu player Aparna Dahiya clinched a gold medal in the women’s 52kg category at the 11th Sanda World Cup held in Macau.
Aparna delivered a dominant performance in the final by defeating reigning world champion Thi Phuong Nga Ngo of Vietnam in straight sets to secure India’s first gold medal of the tournament, which began on May 12.
The victory carried added significance for the Indian athlete, as she had earlier lost to the same opponent in the final of the World Wushu Championships held in Brazil in September 2025. Her triumph in Macau marked a successful comeback and an important achievement on the international stage.
The Sanda World Cup is one of the major global competitions in wushu and features top athletes from across the world competing in various weight categories.
Wushu as a competitive sport is divided into two primary disciplines — Taolu and Sanda. Taolu focuses on choreographed martial arts routines involving movements such as kicks, punches, jumps, balances, sweeps, and throws, with athletes judged on technique and execution.
Sanda, on the other hand, is a full-contact combat sport derived from traditional wushu techniques and incorporates punching, kicking, wrestling, throws, and defensive manoeuvres.
Aparna Dahiya’s gold medal performance has added to India’s growing success in martial arts competitions and highlighted the country’s rising presence in international wushu events.