In a crowd of leaders and wunderkinds, it’s often rare to come across people who are both hardworking and humble. Eric Chiang, president of UCSD’s Wushu Club and former participant in the 3rd World Junior Wushu Championships, is one of those scattered few. Eric is currently a 4th year Pharmaceutical Chemistry major with a sense of drive and humility that faces little competition.
Describe wushu in 5 words.
Chinese martial arts with style.
How long have you done wushu?
I’ve been doing wushu for about 12 years. I started at the age of nine and continue today.
Describe your experience during your first wushu competition.
I was very small, around the age of ten years old. Having never been to a wushu competition, I was very nervous. When I went up to compete, I forgot my form about a quarter of the way through, so I started over. Although I ended up in near last place, I was proud of myself for finishing my first competition.
In all the years you’ve done wushu, what is your biggest accomplishment and why?
My biggest accomplishment in wushu is the hosting of the 17th Annual Collegiate Wushu Tournament at UCSD in the spring of 2013. The competition not only brought competitors together from around the nation, but also rekindled the love of wushu in UCSD alumni who have always dreamed to have the competition here.
What do you want to get out of wushu?
I want to gain a greater sense of discipline from wushu. Because the sport is difficult and requires quite a bit of dedication, sticking with it trains you to adopt a disciplinary lifestyle.
What do you like most about wushu?
The best part about wushu is being immersed in the wushu community. Through competitions and socials, you meet others that enjoy wushu outside of your school. I can honestly say that I’ve formed lifelong friendships with some of the members of this community.
Who is your biggest inspiration? Why?
My biggest inspiration in wushu and life is my mom. Through her support and determination, she has successfully pushed me to excel in wushu by making me stick with it and attend events outside my usual scope, which include competitions in both Hong Kong and Singapore. This attitude relates to my everyday lifestyle and has allowed me to remain dedicated to my schoolwork and other responsibilities.
Besides wushu, do you have any other hobbies?
I enjoy dancing, karaoke, and really any activity that allows me to freely express myself. I also really enjoy bowling.
Do you have any career plans post-graduation?
I plan to attend pharmacy school and hope to continue doing wushu in my free time.