Wushu getting ready for big day

BEIJING — The country’s Wushu athletes are getting ready for their exhibition matches which begin on Aug. 21.

"We’re all set," said Wushu Federation of the Philippines Julian Camacho yesterday whose athletes trained in Beijing three months ago and have not left since that time. They will only go home after their exhibition.

Wushu may yet emerge as the only Philippine team to win an Olympic medal based on the credentials of some of its athletes.

There are four of them and at least one, Willy Wang, can win a medal, even a gold.
Unfortunately, if he does, this will not count towards an official Olympic achievement because of the status of the sport as an exhibition event.

Despite this, Camacho said his athletes had been promised monetary reward by no less than President Arroyo when she visited the RP quarters at the Olympic Village last Sunday.
"But we are not thinking of the reward," Camacho said. "We are thinking of how we can do well and give our country a bit of an honor."

He said that if they are rewarded for it, they’d be thankful.

"If not, it’s OK with us."