SITizens Randall Lim and Chan Jun Kai first met as primary-schoolers on the Wushu training mats. Neither imagined they would become national athletes, much less go on to bag Singapore’s first-ever Gold and two Silver medals at the recent 2026 FISU World University Championship in Brasília, Brazil. sts ready for the next international competition. 

Randall Lim Yi Jie and Chan Jun Kai may have entered Wushu at around the same age, but the childhood friends grew into markedly different athletes.

Pint-sized champions in the making. (Photo: Chan Jun Kai) 

Randall, a first-year Electrical Power Engineering student, specialises in Nanquan (specifically Nangun and Nandao), a style defined by explosive strength and sharp movements. Energetic and quick with a quip, he jokes that he was likely steered into this discipline as a child simply because he "wasn’t very flexible”.

Second-year Hospitality Business student, Jun Kai, is the quieter of the two. He specialises in Taiji (Taijiquan and Taijijian), a meditative and almost graceful discipline. "The slower, controlled nature of Taiji has helped me maintain composure when facing problems", disciplining him to calm his mind.

In June, their different strengths brought them to the same historic moment. The duo’s recent outing to the 2026 FISU World University Championship Combat Sports in Brasilia, Brazil was nothing short of a resounding success.

Jun Kai made history by clinching Singapore’s first gold medal in Men’s Taijiquan (alongside a Silver for the Men’s Taijijian) and Randall brought home a silver in Men’s Nangun.

Randall Lim (left) and Chan Jun Kai (right) with Lee Yee Yong (center) from the Office of SITizen Experience  at the 2026 FISU World University Championship. (Photo: Randall Lim)  

From Kung Fu Movies to Elite Sportsmen
Their often effortless-looking performances belie years of commitment. Randall was first attracted to the sport because of his love for Chinese fighting movies, especially those featuring Jackie Chan. Up till today, he considers Wheels on Meals (快餐车, Kuài cān chē) as one of the all-time greats.

For Jun Kai, his first exposure to the sport came during a Wushu display at his Primary 1 orientation. So enamoured was he with the performance that he immediately asked his parents if they could sign him up for Wushu as his CCA. 

Over the years, their early interest has grown into serious achievement. Jun Kai won gold and bronze at the 2021 SEA Games, while Randall was a silver medallist at the 2025 SEA Games in Bangkok. Both have also competed at major events such as the World Wushu Championships and Taolu Asia Cup.

Even for seasoned competitors, FISU offered something different. Shares Jun Kai, “I appreciated being able to travel to Brazil. It was also fun to be involved in a competition where everyone was around the same age.”

Randall too enjoyed the event’s vibrant atmosphere, adding that the global nature of the competition gave them “a good chance to see where we stood on the world stage.”

The Unseen Price of Pursuing Gold 

Juggling full-time university studies with intensive national training leaves little room for downtime. On weekdays, classes are followed by training from 7.30pm to 10.00pm, with another session on Saturday mornings.  Their packed schedules mean that these SITizens have to grab every available opportunity to complete assignments and keep pace with their coursework. 

Randall humorously notes that this discipline is often born out of survival, "Honestly, you're just forced to do, you cannot say no... You don't complete it, then there's no other way around it."

The sacrifices extend beyond just daily schedules. Randall had to forfeit his month-long Overseas Immersion Programme (OIP) trip to Newcastle, England as it clashed with his training schedule for the Asian Games Trials. Most recently, for the FISU Championship, he missed an exam paper and will resit it in the coming trimester.

For Jun Kai, pursuing a sport at the elite level meant extending his polytechnic and NS durations, leaving him unable to graduate with his original batch of friends. The physical cost has been equally taxing. In the lead-up to the World Wushu Championships last year, an MRI scan revealed a near 100% tear in his high-ankle ligament, but he pressed on to compete. While he placed fourth, Jun Kai says he is immensely proud, as it was his highest-ever international placing, especially after a mentally and physically draining battle with his injury. 

Jun Kai’s Taijiquan routine that saw him secure Singapore’s first FISU gold. (Photo: Jun Kai)

In navigating these challenges, both Jun Kai and Randall feel grateful for the support that they have received from SIT as they pursue their sporting ambitions. Jun Kai is thankful  that his professors and schoolmates are understanding. “My professors check in on me just to see how I’m coping. Even my project mates are accommodating if I have to rearrange schedules, but I try not to do so.”

Lessons from the Competition Floor to Classroom

The habits built through years of Wushu extend into other parts of their lives. Through Wushu, Randall says he has learnt discipline and focus to keep on top of schoolwork. “Instead of procrastinating, I grab every chance I get to do my assignments,” he shares.

Randall, during his Nangun routine, that earned him a Silver. (Photo: Randall)

Jun Kai too feels that his specialisation in Taiji has shaped him. With routines judged on the precision and control of each movement, he has learnt to pay close attention to the smallest details. That meticulous eye also surfaces in his interest in photography, experimenting with older mobile phones to capture images with a vintage quality.

Years of elite competition have also ingrained resilience in the duo. “Having had to deal with disappointments such as not being selected for competitions or underperforming, I’m now much better at moving past setbacks and focusing on the next target,” says Randall.

What’s next?

For the foreseeable future, Wushu remains a priority for both athletes.

Jun Kai’s target is to medal at the Wushu World Championships. “While that’s the dream, I also want to make sure I don’t forget to enjoy the process.” After competitive sports, he is exploring how his experience as a national athlete could contribute to sports event management. Currently interning at Sports Singapore, he already sees how an athlete’s perspective can contribute to the planning of a successful sports event.”

Randall hopes to continue competing till at least 2029, when the SEA Games will be held in Singapore. “Competing on home ground will be meaningful.”  While he is still exploring where his engineering training could take him, Randall sees parallels between engineering and Wushu: both involve solving problems, refining techniques and staying adaptable.

More than a decade after meeting as rambunctious boys on the training mats, Randall and Jun Kai continue to pursue Wushu side by side – but now as university mates, seasoned national athletes and medallists ready for the next international competition.