United States national wushu team

The United States national wushu team (also known as the US Wushu Team) represents the United States in IWUF international competitions. It has been organized by the United States of America Wushu Kungfu Federation (USAWKF) since 1993.

The 1974 China national wushu team tour marked the first time modern wushu was performed in the United States.^[1][2] Starting in the late 1970s, modern wushu coaches from China began to immigrate to the United States, most notably including Bow-sim Mark, Anthony Chan, and Roger Tung. In 1981, they organized the first US Wushu Team with the purpose to train with the Jiangsu Wushu Team.^[3] Donnie Yen and Kenny Perez were invited to train additionally with the Beijing Wushu Team under Wu Bin and Jet Li.^[3] In 1982, a team was organized to attend the 1st International Friendship Exchange in Nanjing, China.^[4]

In 1985, the 1st International Invitational Wushu Championships were organized by the Chinese Wushu Association.^[5] The United States finished fourth with Richard Vecchiolla placing third in men's all-around.^[6] In addition, Chris Yen notably won a bronze medal in changquan, becoming the youngest medal winner at the competition.^[7] At the 2nd championships in 1986, Philip Wong and Nick Gracenin finished second and third respectively in men's all-around.^[8] The US also participated in the 3rd championships in 1988.^[9] With the founding of the International Wushu Federation in 1990, the 1991 World Wushu Championships was quickly organized, with Andrew Hartono (jianshu), David Ross (taijiquan), and Jason Yee (sanda) being the first medalists from the United States at the competition.^[10]

From the mid-1980s until the early 1990s, wushu in the United States was largely promoted by the North American Chinese Martial Arts Federation (NACMAF) and the United States Chinese Martial Arts Council (USCMAC), but neither organization was principally involved in sending athletes to the international championships, it was only done through a process of appointment by coaches.^[11]

In 1993, the United States of America Wushu Kungfu Federation was founded under Anthony Goh and began implementing a formal team trials competition process every two years select the members of the US Wushu team.^[11] The first team trials was organized ahead of the 1993 World Wushu Championships.^[12] Athletes were ranked based on their combined score of an open-hand and weapon event. From 1993-1995, the US Wushu Team roster consisted of eight individuals not equally split between genders, and with a system of primary and reserve members. In 1997, the team became evenly split with four male and female athletes. In 1999, the system of A and B teams were created. Between 1999 and 2001, the USAWKF underwent a political schism.^[13] The team managed by Anthony Goh was ruled by the IWUF to be the legitimate US Wushu Team, and so that delegation represented the United States at the 2001 World Wushu Championships. In 2003, the multi-team system was expanded to include a C team. With the 2004 Pan American Wushu Championships, the USAWKF began to only send members of the B and C teams to the championships.

In 2005 due to a change in IWUF regulations, the capacities of individual teams were expanded eight to ten members (5 male and female). In addition, the IWUF 2005 taolu rules were used, but only group A or B difficulty techniques were scored (C or D group difficulty techniques or connections were scored the same as B group).^[14] Starting with the 2008 Beijing Wushu Tournament, members of the US Wushu Team would begin competing in major international multi-sport competitions. In 2009, the US Wushu Team selection criteria was changed so that athletes must place in the top-three of one of the five categories: changquan, daoshu+gunshu, jianshu+qiangshu, nanquan (+nangun for male, +nandao for female), and taijiquan+taijijian. At the 2009 World Wushu Championships, Alfred Hsing won the United States' first gold medal in taolu.^[15][16] Then at the 2013 World Games, Colvin Wang won the gold medal in men's changquan.^[17] In 2015, IWUF regulations changed again and the A team was reduced from ten to eight members, thus the B and C teams were expanded from ten to twelve members each.^[18] In addition, athletes were no longer ranked by their respective events, but by combined score of one open-hand and one weapon event.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several international wushu competitions were cancelled or postponed. Ahead of the 2022 Pan American Wushu Championships, a supplemental team trials was held to select a team of fourteen individuals to compete at the championships. The same year, the United States hosted the 2022 World Games where Brian Wang and Mia Tian won gold medals in men's jianshu/qiangshu and women's daoshu/gunshu respectively.^[19] In 2023, the first regular team trials in four years was organized. In 2025, the selection criteria was changed once again to ranking based on the five categories similar to 2009.

By the early 1990s, sanda was sparsely promoted in the United States as opposed to taolu. Two figures who would eventually popularize the sport more were David Ross, an organizer of tournaments in the East Coast, and Shi Deru (Shawn Liu) who was appointed coach of the US Sanda Team ahead of the 1995 World Wushu Championships. Starting during the 1995 edition and the following two World Wushu Championships, Cung Le would become a triple bronze medalist.^[20][21][22] Liu would also coach Pat Barry around this time who would win a silver medal in the 2003 World Wushu Championships. The same year, Elaina Maxwell won the United States' first gold medal in sanda,^[23][24] and would also be a silver medalist at the 2005 World Wushu Championships while being coached by Cung Le. Since the 2007 World Wushu Championships, Yi-Yuan (Ian) Lee has been the coach of the US Sanda Team and organizer of the US Sanda Team Trials.^[25]

The International Wushu Federation does not publish all-time medal tables or medal statistics per each national federation. The IWUF only publishes individual championships results and thus the tables below are compilations of those results.

Red border color indicates host nation status.

Minus results from the 1996 and 1998 Pan American Championships.

• Sarah Chang
• Phillip Chen
• Jeffrey Falcon
• Alfred Hsing
• Alex Huynh
• Cynthia Rothrock
• Philip Sahagun
• Robin Shou
• Brian Wang
• Colvin Wang
• Donnie Yen
• Chris Yen

• Cung Le
• Elaina Maxwell
• Pat Barry

• United States of America Wushu Kungfu Federation
• China national wushu team

As of June 29, 2025.^[60]

• Official website