Agatha Chrystenzen Fernandez Wong[1] (born May 20, 1998) is a Filipino wushu athlete who has won medals for the Philippines at the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, and the World Wushu Championships.

Agatha Wong
Wong with her medals from the 2021 Southeast Asian Games
Personal information
NationalityFilipino
Born (1998-05-20) May 20, 1998 (age 26)
Quezon City, Philippines
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Sport
Country Philippines
SportWushu
Event(s)Taijijian, Taijiquan
Medal record
Women's Wushu Taolu
Representing  Philippines
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Championships 0 2 0
Asian Games 0 0 1
Southeast Asian Games 5 2 0
Total 5 4 1
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2015 Jakarta Taijiquan Compulsory
Silver medal – second place 2023 Fort Worth Taijiquan
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta–Palembang Taijiquan
World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Fuzhou Taijijian
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2023 Cambodia Taijijian + Taijiquan
Gold medal – first place 2021 Vietnam Taijijian
Gold medal – first place 2019 Philippines Taijijian
Gold medal – first place 2019 Philippines Taijiquan
Gold medal – first place 2017 Kuala Lumpur Taijiquan
Silver medal – second place 2021 Vietnam Taijiquan
Silver medal – second place 2017 Kuala Lumpur Taijijian

Early life and education

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Agatha Chrystenzen Fernandez Wong was born on May 20, 1998, in Quezon City, Philippines,[2][failed verification] tracing her roots to Dagupan, Pangasinan.[3] Her father, Christopher Wong Sr. is Filipino-Chinese, while her mother, Richa Agatha Wong (née Fernandez) is Filipino-American.[4] Wong also has a younger brother and sister. At a young age, she was encouraged to try various sports including swimming, karate, and wushu.[5]

Wong studied at the College of Holy Spirit in Quezon City[6] and the De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Consular and Diplomatic Affairs.[7]

By 2023, Wong would be studying in medical school balancing her schedule with being an athlete. She entered the University of the East.[8][9]

Career

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Specializing in taolu,[10] Wong has been a wushu athlete since she was 8 years old.[11]

She won her first medal in an international competition at the 2013 Asian Junior Wushu Championships in Makati, Philippines by besting the under-15 women's 32 form taijiquan of the Taolu competitions.[6] She won two medals (gold in Taijijian and bronze in Taijiquan) in the following edition held in Inner Mongolia, China.[1]

Wong won a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games held in JakartaPalembang despite the Wushu delegation experiencing financial issues which prevented her from training in China, as customarily done for high-profile competitions.[5] She also sustained a grade 2 slipped disc injury prior to the games and has not yet fully recovered by the time she competed in the continental competition.[11]

At the 2018 Asian Traditional Wushu Championships in Nanjing, China, Wong clinched two medals for the Philippines by besting the Group B women's Taijijian and Group B women's Taijiquan events[12]

Wong also competed at the 2017 and 2019 Southeast Asian Games; clinching the gold medal for the taijiquan event and silver for taijijian at the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,[13] and two gold medals for the taijiquan and taijijian events at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Agatha Chrystenzen F. Wong". De La Salle Alumni Association. 29 April 2019. Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  2. ^ Giongco, Mark (December 8, 2019). "Agatha Wong: 'My last name's Chinese yet I'm Filipina more than anything'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Champion Agatha is Filipina, a Dagupeña". The Sunday Punch. December 17, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  4. ^ Alinea, Eddie (December 15, 2019). "Agatha Wong: The new 'Darling of PH Sports'". Manila Times. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Agatha Wong: For the love of wushu". BusinessWorld. September 10, 2018. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Wong atones for shock Omengan setback, gives PH second wushu gold". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. August 9, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  7. ^ "Agatha Chrystenzen F. Wong". De La Salle Alumni Association. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  8. ^ Navarro, June (12 May 2023). "Agatha Wong, balancing med school and training, surprises self with fifth SEA Games gold". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  9. ^ Garcia, John Mark (15 August 2024). "'We're worth it': Palacios, Wong discuss plight of Pinay athletes". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Agatha Wong hopeful another SEAG gold will boost wushu in PH". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. August 18, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Go, Beatrice (August 20, 2018). "Long journey for wushu wonder Wong". Rappler. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  12. ^ Dioquino, Delfin (December 3, 2018). "PH wushu team hauls 11 medals from Asian tilt". Rappler. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  13. ^ "2017 SEA Games: Agatha Wong captures gold for PH in wushu". CNN Philippines. August 22, 2017. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  14. ^ de los Reyes, Sara (December 3, 2020). "6 Quick Facts About Agatha Wong, Wushu Gold Medalist At The 2019 SEA Games". Metro Style. Retrieved August 17, 2020.