Amazing recovery sees Li on top

WUSHU world champion Li Fai was suffering a mysterious illness and thought she was going to die only a month ago, but yesterday she rose to the occasion and impressed in the selection trials for the Asian Games.

The kung fu and action movie starlet top-scored in the women's all-round category with a 27.35 aggregate for her demonstrations in changquan (long boxing), sword and cudgel routines at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

''I was down with a mysterious illness for some 20 days slightly more than a month ago and at that time I felt like dying,'' said the 25-year-old Li, who lost 10 pounds in the ordeal and now weights in at 108 pounds.

''No doctor or medication could help me but I recovered just as mysteriously after seeking help from a monk. I'm now a devout Buddhist and a vegetarian.'' Li proved her stamina has not been affected - although she has stopped taking meat - as she scored above nine points in every routine, receiving 9.01 in changquan, 9.16 in sword and 9.18 in cudgel.

Her arch rival, Tsui Lim-chee, scored 8.83 in changquan, 8.80 in broadsword and 8.73 in spear for a 26.36 total.

National coach Liu De is delighted that Li, the changquan and cudgel gold medallist at last year's World Championships in Malaysia, scored better with each performance.

Liu said: ''It is very tough to be doing three disciplines in one day because in a proper championship like the Asian Games, the three events are held on separate days.