SOAS Students Win Second Place in Major Chinese Competition
Alec Odahara receives his award
31 August 2011
Two SOAS undergraduates have won second place in a prestigious Chinese language and culture competition.
James Bilbow, a fourth year undergraduate in Chinese and Business Management, and Alec Odahara, a third-year undergraduate in Chinese and Korean, competed in the 10th annual Chinese Bridge, which is famous as the world's most difficult Chinese competition for non-native speakers.
The judges awarded each of them a full one-year scholarship to study in China.
“I didn't realise how high the standard of Mandarin is among university students around the world," said Alec Odahara. "I was really happy and proud for SOAS that both Jamie and me made it to the top 12."
Each year, more than 6,000 contestants from around the world enter the Chinese Bridge competition. During the early rounds, held in the spring, competitors must deliver a speech in Chinese, answer questions about Chinese culture and demonstrate a talent associated with China, such as storytelling, calligraphy, martial arts, singing, dancing or playing a musical instrument.
“I feel very proud of them given that they only started to learn Chinese, one of the most difficult languages, three or four years ago,” said Zhaoxia Pang, Senior Lector in Chinese at SOAS. “Great dedication and perseverance are needed to reach the top 12 in such a challenging international competition. Their outstanding achievement set a shining example for other students to follow.”
In the final three rounds, held in China over the summer, contestants are given a theme and must build a performance around that theme through skits, plays and debates, with help from a 'celebrity supporting act'.
This year 118 contestants selected from 68 countries competed in the final rounds in China.
Stewart Johnson, then a third-year SOAS undergraduate in Chinese and Law, won the overall competition in 2010. A SOAS student has made it to the Beijing finals in each of the 10 years since the competition was established.
