Daoshu & Gunshu, Women

Daoshu and gunshu combines a short weapon (the dao, or curved blade) and a long weapon (the gun, or wooden staff), requiring competitors to perform two routines, one with each weapon. At the World Championships, both events are held separately, but these were combined for the Olympic exhibition.

At the 2007 World Championships, the daoshu title had been taken by Chinese-Italian Hui Hui Xu, also known as Jade Xu. After the Olympics, she would move into acting, playing in wushu films and performing in a Cirque du Soleil show. In Beijing, however, she was defeated by the daoshu runner up in 2007, Geng Xiao Ling of Hong Kong.