Did Germany Secure the Latin Dance Gold at the World Games?

Chengdu (China), Aug 8 (NationPress) Germany's Marius-Andrei Balan and Khrystyna Moshenska achieved a remarkable victory, securing the gold medal in Latin dance at the 2025 World Games with a total of 195.71 points. The home team of Du Yujun and Yan Bangbang finished in fourth place, which is China's highest placement in Latin dance at these games.

"This is our inaugural experience at the World Games, and the atmosphere has been incredible," Balan expressed. "From the moment we stepped foot here until we performed, it felt like everyone around us contributed to the significance of this competition. This sense of importance fueled our responsibility to perform our best."

This event marked a debut for the German duo, adding another achievement to their illustrious career, as reported by Xinhua.

Charles-Guillaume Schmitt and Elena Salikhova from France claimed the silver medal with 194.00 points, while Spain's Guillem Pascual Iniesta and Diandra Illes took bronze with 188.46 points. Du and Yan scored 186.96, narrowly missing the podium by just 1.5 points after performing five dances: samba, cha cha cha, rumba, paso doble, and jive.

At 34 and 35 years old, Balan and Moshenska are four-time world champions, having ruled from 2021 to 2024. Their partnership began in 2015 in Pforzheim, Germany, and they quickly ascended to the top, capturing national, European, and World Latin titles within six weeks in 2021.

Balan credited their achievements to their unwavering consistency when faced with pressure. "No matter what stress or challenges arise, you must rise to the occasion. That consistency distinguishes elite athletes from others," he stated.

Du and Yan, both 31, hold the title of China's top-ranked Latin dance pair. They finished fourth at the 2024 World Championships, marking the best performance for Chinese dancers at that event. Their gradual rise in the world rankings has also seen them break numerous national records.

The enthusiastic crowd at the Chengbei Gymnasium supported Du and Yan fervently each time they took the stage. Du later remarked, "The energy from the audience felt like an added boost with every step," enabling them to deliver one of their most impressive performances internationally.

The duo's performance surpassed their semifinal showing at the last World Games in Birmingham, USA, which had previously been China’s best result in this category. "We may not have achieved the results we hoped for, but we triumphed in our dance," Yan said. "It felt like everyone in the venue was dancing along with us."

They are also recognized for incorporating Chinese cultural elements, such as Tai Chi and Baduanjin, into their routines. "When we perform rumba or paso doble, our aim is to express the essence of Tai Chi's circular flow and inner energy," Yan explained. "This approach differs from the European style, and many spectators told us they appreciated it."

Additionally, China celebrated another achievement in Chengdu, as Shao Huinan and Yu Qiufan joined Du and Yan in the semifinals. This marked the first instance of two pairs reaching the top 14 at the World Games, highlighting the progress and depth of Chinese Latin dance in recent years.

Latin dance is a key discipline in dancesport at the World Games, attracting top athletes from various non-Olympic sports worldwide.

In other news, Lu Zhuoling won the women’s Wushu Taijiquan-Taijijian competition on Friday night, granting China its first gold at the World Games 2025. The 21-year-old scored 9.796 points, achieving the top position after the morning's Taijiquan and finishing third in Taijijian, totaling 19.522 points to secure the gold. Singapore's Zeanne Law earned silver with 19.430 points, while Malaysia's Chin Sy Xuan Sydney took bronze with 19.410 points.

Italy currently leads the medal count with 12 medals, including four golds, while Germany follows closely with four golds, four silvers, and two bronzes. Italy has five silvers and three bronzes. Iran and Switzerland rank third and fourth, respectively, each with two gold medals in the overall tally of eight.