It’s no wonder then that, after a year of being away from home due to her packed training and competition schedule, Tan is thrilled to be able to celebrate this year’s festivities with her family in Tanjung Minyak, Melaka.
For her, Chinese New Year is not just about an opportunity to rest from training sessions but also a cherished opportunity to bond with family members.
“Last year I was busy with training and competing abroad, so much so that I did not get to return to my hometown for a year. So, this year I intend to go back to my hometown, enjoy the Chinese New Year celebration, and spend more time with my family,” she said.
“During Chinese New Year, I usually visit my relatives, go to my grandparents’ house, get together with nephews and nieces, and go out with my friends. This is my time to actually enjoy this togetherness,” added the two-time world champion when contacted by Bernama ahead of the festive celebration tomorrow.
The 26-year-old, who bagged the nangun gold at the 2024 Taolu World Cup in Yokohama, Japan in October, said some of the memorable moments spent with her family included watching replays of her in action in tournaments throughout the year, which she likened to watching a movie.
She stressed that the joy and support of her family is what pushes her to excel in the martial arts.
“The happiest times are when we get together, watch videos of the tournaments I took part in, and talk about my performances, results and achievements.
“Their support is greatly meaningful to me because it inspires me to strive even harder to achieve greater success,” said the 2019/2020 national sportswoman.
Gunning for future glory
In the meantime, Tan is working on perfecting her combination of skills, routine and movement, and adapting to a higher degree of difficulty ahead of the next window of competition in June.
She is almost certain to compete in the Wushu Taulu Asian Cup in Jilin, China in July, as well as the World Games in Chengdu, China in August, for which she has qualified.
For the Wushu World Championships to be held in Brazil in September and the Thailand SEA Games in December, she said her participation would depend on the selection process.
“So, besides efforts to polish up routine, skills and movement combination, my focus is to further improve my performance because if I can do well during the selection process, I may stand a chance to be selected for the World Championships and SEA Games,” she said.
Cheong Min bagged the 2017 world title in Kazan, Russia in dulian before clinching her second world crown at the 2019 edition in Shanghai, China in nandao.
Her other international victories included winning two golds at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia; silver at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China; and a gold medal at the 2024 Wushu Asian Championships in Macau last September.