Taiwan’s tug of war teams swept the Asian Tug of War Championship June 14 in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, bagging four golds in the female, male and mixed categories.
Comprising nine students from Taipei City-based Jingmei Girls’ Senior High School, the women’s team won a record-breaking third gold medal in the indoor 500-kilogram event after beating rivals from Mongolia, South Korea and mainland China. It scored another victory in the outdoor 540-kilogram pulls the next day.
“The mainland Chinese team had the weight and age advantage, but our team’s superior technique prevailed in the end,” Jingmei Principal Lin Li-hwa said.
Similarly successful was the men’s team from central Taiwan’s National Nantou Senior High School. It made a clean sweep in the indoor 600-kilogram event, beating Mongolian rivals to claim gold for the sixth consecutive time. The Taiwan team also won the indoor 560-kilogram mixed event.
This year’s outdoor tournament was unusual as it took place on sand, rather than grass, but the female tuggers were not troubled by the unorthodox surface. (SDH)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw