While he develops his doctoral thesis for the Doctoral Programme in Geography and History of the Mediterranean from Prehistory to the Modern Age, Adrià Esquembre maintains an intense sports trajectory linked to traditional kung-fu and tai chi. Graduated in History and has a Master’s Degree in Archaeology, the student from the Universitat de València represents an example of balance between academic excellence and sports performance.

His relation with martial arts began when he was a child, but it wasn’t until he turned 15 that he started to train more intensely kung-fu applied to Sanda fights. In 2014, he started to compete regionally and nationally, and since then he has earned an outstanding experience, both in Spain and abroad.

The peak of his career was in October 2025, when he was part of the Spanish team at the World Cup Tai Chi Chuan Championship 2025 in Taiwan. He obtained there the world and absolute title in the men’s traditional Chen-style Taiji Form (Taolu) category, in addition to a gold medal in the fixed-step push hands (Tuishou) category. These results are now added to his wide international track record, which includes European championships and several victories in benchmark competitions.

Along with Esquembre, other two Spanish athletes stood out in Taiwan –it was the first time that a hat trick took place–: Ivan Caamaño, Doctor in Mathematics by the Autonomous University of Madrid, and Alejandro Aboy, Kung-Fu teacher in Granada and honorary member of the Confucius Institute, whom the Valencian student wanted to distinguish: ‘Iván (bronze) has a severe visual disability, having only 3 % of vision in his right eye. Apart from being a close friend, he is an example of effort and self-improvement. At the same time, I held the mobile phone in which Alejandro appeared. He obtained the silver medal, but he couldn’t be here to receive it because of his flight schedule. However, he watched the ceremony by video call. For me it’s important to acknowledge my mates and to point out that one of the world podiums was exclusively formed by Spanish athletes.’

Beyond the sports successes, Esquembre also highlights the values he has obtained practising tai chi: patience, discipline, and attention span. ‘In a society marked by immediacy, this martial art offers tools for personal development, emotional balance, and physical care,’ he states.

Looking forward, the doctoral student at the UV is aimed at targeting his professional career towards academic research and teaching, without leaving his role as a tai chi instructor. A trajectory that proves that sport can turn into a platform for personal development and international success.