This weekend Lubbock will host the 11th Annual Pan American Wushu Championship at the City Bank Coliseum. 

Wushu is Mandarin for Kung Fu.  President of the Pan American Wushu Federation, Anthony Goh, said Wushu is a sport and an art form. 

 “The techniques of the routine is choreographed in such a way it’s almost like gymnastics or ice skating,” Goh said. 
 
The championship brought more than 200 athletes from 13 countries like Costa Rica, Brazil, Barbados and Canada, to compete. There are more than 23 countries in the Pan American Wushu Federation. 

Event Coordinator, Patti Connor, said two cities made a bid to hold the Championship, but ultimately Lubbock won.

“Most Pan American Championships happen in first tier cities,” Connor said. “And so for it to come to a city the size of Lubbock it is really a big deal.”

Lubbock Sports, a division of Visit Lubbock, worked with local gym owner and coach, Yi-Yuan Lee, to bring the event to the Hub City.

“I hope more people hear about our sport Wushu,” Lee said. “It is a wonderful martial arts.”

A former athlete himself, Lee said there is so much discipline and pageantry involved in the sport.

“All the control,” Lee said. “All the coronation, all the banners, everything is an art. This sport builds up the participants confidence from inside to outside. And probably the best self defense skills.”
 
Goh said his organization is working to globalize the sport, which is now recognized by more than 140 countries. He said they were put on the short list to compete in the Summer Games in Tokyo in 2020.
 
The championship is going on Friday -Sunday at the City Bank Coliseum. Tickets are $7.