Kuala lumpur: Malaysia finished third in the 15th Genting World Lion Dance Championship at the Arena of Stars here yesterday. The championship saw nine teams from six countries and territories – Malaysia, China, Singapore, Japan, and Myanmar – vie for the championship title in the final.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Malaysia, through the maiden participation of the Petaling Jaya Catholic High School Alumni Association Dragon and Lion Dance Troupe, earned 9.59 points to be placed third and took home USD6,000 cash, a trophy, and medals presented by Transport Minister Anthony Loke. Michael Oh Head, one of the troupe’s lion dancers, said that although there was some pressure representing Malaysia, the team gave their best performance. He expressed the team’s commitment to continue training to achieve better results and hoped for more opportunities to represent Malaysia on such prestigious platforms.
Two other Malaysian teams – Kwong Ngai Lion Dance and Malaysia Xuan Long Dragon and Lion Dance Rawang Selangor – also made it to the final. The Kwong Ngai Lion Dance troupe finished seventh with 8.89 points, while the team from Rawang had to withdraw after one of its members sustained a leg injury. Malaysian Lion Dance Association advisor Siow Ho Phiew expressed pride in the national teams’ achievements, describing the success of the three Malaysian teams reaching the final as a significant accomplishment that elevated the country’s reputation on the international stage.
The Genting championship saw the Singapore B Team, represented by Yi Mei Athletic Association, crowned champion with 9.78 points while their counterparts, Singapore A, also represented by the same association, finished second with 9.66 points. The two teams took home USD18,000 and USD10,000 respectively, along with trophies and medals.
Resorts World Genting Sales, Marketing and Public Relations executive vice-president Spencer Lee noted that this year’s edition featured a significant difference with the creative use of props and storytelling elements, transforming lion dance into not only a cultural performance but also a high-stamina sport. He expressed optimism about the potential for lion dance to be recognized as an international sports event in competitions like the SEA Games, Asian Games, or the Olympics.
The championship, organized by Resorts World Genting in collaboration with the Selangor and Federal Territory Dragon and Lion Dance Federation, saw 40 teams from around the world vying for glory since Friday (July 25).