Taiwanese taekwondo athlete Chuang Chia-chia defeated South Korea’s Park Mi Yeon 3-2 to capture the gold medal Aug. 23 at the Universiade in Shenzhen, mainland China.
Chuang’s victory, which came at the closing day of the competition, brought the total number of medals won by the ROC delegation to 32—seven gold, nine silver and 16 bronze.
It is the best overall performance for the Taiwan team since it began participating in the Universiade competition in 1991.
“I am so glad I overcame my fear of South Korean athletes, and that my efforts over the past three years have paid off,” Chuang said, adding that she has lost twice to South Korean rivals during previous finals.
The 21-year-old National Taiwan Normal University student had to gain an extra kilogram to be able to participate in the 67-73 km category.
“Chuang’s agility, smart defense, and observation of her opponents all helped her win the gold,” said Lee Chia-jung, Chuang’s coach. “The medal will be a confidence booster for her in the future.”
The Universiade is a multinational competition hosted annually for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation. Taiwan ranked eighth among 152 teams in this year’s games, which lasted from Aug. 12 to 23. The next Universiade will take place in Kazan, Russia, in 2013. (HZW)