Tay showcasing his brand-new taijijian routine. Photo: SNOC/ Terence Tan
For Taolu exponent Tay Yu Xuan, his second Asian Games was about turning the page, with a refreshed taijijian routine, brand-new competition garments and, most importantly, a mental reset.
After completing his tertiary studies at Nanyang Technological University earlier this year, the communications graduate decided to pursue wushu full-time ahead of the Games.
At a training camp in Shandong, China, he made the bold decision to reinvent his taijijian choreography, knowing full well the risks of changing his programme ahead of such a major competition.
“I would say it's not advisable. But I just felt I needed something new because I was getting really bored of my old routine. I was doing the best I can, but I was still not getting the scores I wanted. So I figured it would be better for me to just restart and then try a new choreography,” the 24-year-old said of his three-month-old routine.
And his revamp, which included a new outfit made by his mother, worked wonders at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Centre on Monday (Sep 21) as he finished fifth in the men’s combined taijiquan-taijijian event with a score of 19.419.
Tay making a traditional wushu hand salute, known as the bao quan li, to supporters in the stands. Photo: SNOC/ Terence Tan
China’s Liu Dewen took gold (19.560), with Chinese Taipei’s Sun Chia-hung (19.453) and Republic of Korea’s An Hyeon-gi (19.429) completing the podium.
“Super satisfied because I finished 15th during the last Asian Games and to jump 10 placings, it feels like my hard work has paid off,” Tay said.
He started his campaign brightly, sitting in third after the morning’s taijiquan with a score of 9.713.
“It has been a really good Games for me so far. I feel like I performed to my best level, especially in the morning routine. That’s the best taijiquan I've done in months,” he added.
Even between events, Tay found little ways to reset – this time, with a hair wash.
“That’s something I learned from the last Asian Games. Back then, I had my makeup and hairspray on and went to rest and woke up with a bad headache. So coming here, I thought to try something new. A complete reset to get in the right state of mind. It really helps my mental prep.”
Some comforting words from his parents during the interval also helped steady Tay.
“They told me to just do my best and have fun… which is something I feel very deeply about.”
His parents were joined in the stands by his sisters and brothers-in-law, who had fought tooth and nail to secure tickets for the event.
“I feel very heartened that they travelled here to support me. Before I went on stage, I saw them and waved at them and in my mind, I wanted to do this performance for them and make sure they are proud of me.”
And the resulting waves of cheers from both family and friends in the stands were enough to give Tay both goosebumps and the motivation to execute a flawless taijijian programme.
Competing in the same event, teammate Chan Jun Kai also improved on his 2023 showing, going from 10th to eighth with a score of 19.389.
“I am more comfortable and confident now… Throughout the years, we trained a bit more systematically and understand ourselves more,” the 25-year-old said.
Chan had to contend with a severely torn ankle ligament last year and a resulting blow to his confidence. But he bounced back well at last September’s World Wushu Championships in Brazil with a fourth-place finish in the taijiquan event, behind Tay who clinched bronze.
Two bronzes at April’s World Taijiquan Championships helped build back belief as well.
“As time passes and I go through different obstacles, I become more composed.”
“These injuries have also shaped my mindset to push through and persevere,” Chan said. “This season has been much better than the past few years.
In the women’s changquan event, Zoe Tan gave her “best showing of the season”, finishing in ninth with a score of 9.683.
At the last edition, Tan impressed on her debut when she missed out on the medal by 0.003 points, behind compatriot and bronze medallist Kimberly Ong.
Competing on the “biggest stage of wushu”, Tan was extremely satisfied with her performance and the opportunity to represent Singapore.
“I performed my best and left absolutely nothing in the tank. Stepping off the carpet, I have no regrets, and I'm very happy with my performance today,” she said.
Having her mother and grandparents in the stands was an added boost for Tan.
With the Games being the final competition of her season, Tan plans to take the pursuit of her passion one step further as she hopes to enter Beijing Sports University to pursue her studies at the China Wushu School (Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Sports) under the spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarship.
The 20th Asian Games are held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.