Wisconsin Tai Chi Academy’s Founder and Head Instructor, Sifu Ray Gates, has successfully won six gold medals and the USA National Tai Chi Grand Champion Cup for his gender and age group at the 15th New England International Chinese Martial Arts Championships, held in Manchester, Connecticut, Saturday November 8th.

Gates joined more than 50 other Tai Chi competitors of all ages at competition, which is held annually and organized by Malee’s School of Tai Chi and Kung Fu and sanctioned by the United Stated of America Wushu-Kungfu Federation. Competitors were also eligible for the 9th USA Tai Chi Grand Champion Cup, which sees awards given to the best overall competitors in their respective gender and age groups. Gates won all six events he competed in and consequently won his USA National Tai Chi Grand Champion Cup for men ages 40-59.

“It’s an amazing achievement and I couldn’t be happier with the result,” Gates said. “It’s been 13 years since I last won a Grand Champion award, so to win one again now, at this age and in this country, is something I’m very proud of.” Gates last won a Grand Champion award at the 2012 Tai Chi Association of Australia’s National Championships, held in Sydney, Australia.

This latest success continues a trend of high level achievements by WTCA in competitions around the US. Gates and his students most recently won gold at the National Senior Games held in Des Moines, Iowa, and have also won medals at other competitions over the last two years, both in person and via online competition.

“For me it’s more than just about winning medals or awards,” Gates said. “I compete for two main reasons. First, to demonstrate to my students, not just current students but prospective students, that they can also achieve these things if they want to. There’s nothing special about me. Anyone can do this if they have the desire and want to put in the effort.”

“Second, I want to show my Tai Chi to others. One of the great things about going to competitions is that you get to see a wide variety of Tai Chi performances. Not just different styles, although there’s lots of that too, but different interpretations of what Tai Chi is. I want people to see what we do, and how we do it.”

Competition is not a requirement of WTCA students, however Gates actively encourages those who are interested to try it. “The Tai Chi community, in general, is such a friendly community, and you really see this at competition,” Gates said. You always meet a lot of great people who, while they want to do well for themselves, really just want everyone to do well and enjoy Tai Chi together.” Competitions are often all age events with no limit on how old a competitor can be. “It’s one of the few events you can continue to compete in for your entire lifespan,” Gates said.

Next year WTCA hopes to see more students compete at various competitions, including the new World Wushu Open Championships to be held in California. Next year also sees the first time inclusion of Tai Chi as part of the Wushu event at the 2026 Youth Summer Games, which may pave the way for inclusion in future Olympic Games. “What an honor it would be to one day see my students competing at an Olympic Games,” Gates said. “I would love to be teaching and training the next generation of Olympic medalists!”

WTCA currently offers classes at five locations around the greater Milwaukee area.