China's wushu team demonstrated not only fierce fighting and dazzling technical moves during the Olympics, but also stylish new uniforms.
Participants in the Beijing 2008 Wushu Tournament, which ran concurrently with the Games, wore black suits made of Dri-FIT, a new material designed by Nike, which draws sweat away from the body.
"I used to think it was impossible to design fashionable clothing for such an ancient sport, but their work surprised me," said Ma Lingjuan, China's gold medalist at the 2008 tournament.
"The new outfit is attractive and comfortable compared with the old silk one, which would stick to the skin when it got wet," he said.
The sport of wushu has sought to be included in the Olympic Games for many years. Organizers seized the opportunity of the Beijing Games to hold a tournament nearby.
"The tournament is a good opportunity for wushu to be seen at the Olympics. In the Opening Ceremony, we also displayed taiji to the world," said coach Wang Erping.
By Lei Lei
