When Nik Morris saw footage of legendary martial artist Ip Man, it fascinated the North Bay man.
That fascination led to a passion, and that passion led Morris to the Orillia 2020 Ontario Winter Games, where he is competing this weekend in wushu.
This is the first competition for Morris, 24, who practises the Wing Chun style.
“I just love martial arts. Wing Chun stood out to me and I stuck with it, and here I am,” he said at Casino Rama, the host venue for wushu.
He scored an 8.44 out of 10 in open hand during his first performance on Friday. On Saturday, he was preparing to compete in the traditional long weapons category.
Morris is one of 89 athletes competing in wushu this weekend. While the games are mainly for people 12 to 18 years old, wushu is the exception.
“Our sport is so diversified and unique. It’s the only sport that has a combative and non-combative component,” explained Alan Tang, director of operations with Wushu Ontario.
Wushu is “famous for what you see in martial arts movies,” he said, noting wushu means “martial art” in Mandarin. It combines elements of performance and traditional martial arts.
Wushu was featured at the Ontario Winter Games for the first time in 2018. While the number of competitors this year is about the same as two years ago, general interest in the sport has grown.
Last month, it was approved as an official medal event for the Youth Olympic Games, which will take place in Dakar, Senegal, in 2022.
For the young athletes, competing at the Ontario Winter Games “is a stepping stone to develop their skills” and prepare them for higher levels of competition, Tang said.
It’s a great social opportunity, too, said Morris.
“It’s been wonderful,” he said of his time in the area. “They are lovely people — all of the athletes — and it’s been a phenomenal experience.”
Saturday was the last day for wushu competition, but a number of other events are happening Sunday. All are free to attend. A schedule can be found at the Orillia 2020 Ontario Winter Games website.
