KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 ― Malaysia bagged 20 gold medals at the recent World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held in the United States and  involved 61 countries.

The Malaysian team, consisting of 17 performers in 78 competitions, also won 20 silver medals, nine bronze medals and 12 Champion of the World award, which are awards given to the overall winner in a particular genre or style, The Star reported today.

The 75 judges during the competition also awarded Malaysian performers with the Industry Awards, which are special awards handed out by the judges.

Out of the performers, the Malaysian dancers stood out, with the dance duo Zaidy and Fiqah winning six gold, one silver and three Champion of the World awards.

Three Malaysian dancers also won scholarships to the prestigious Hollywood dance studio Millennium Dance Complex.

The 10-day competition was held between June 30 and July 9 at Long Beach, California and involves junior and senior age groups.