Taiwan won its first gold at the Asian Para Games Oct. 19 in Incheon, South Korea with a top-of-the-podium finish in the women’s 100 meters breaststroke.
Luo Hsiao-hung, 47, defeated Japan’s Noriko Kajiwara and Theresa Rui Si Goh from Singapore, successfully defending her title from the 2010 games in Guangzhou, mainland China.
President Ma Ying-jeou was joined in congratulating Luo on her success by Vice President Wu Den-yih, Premier Jiang Yi-huah and Education Minister Wu Se-hwa.
Training mainly in the U.S. prior to competition, Luo was the nation’s sole swimming representative at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing.
According to the former water polo athlete, the biggest challenge after taking up the sport 12 years ago following a car accident was getting used to the pool again. “It’s more than just physical adjustment. The psychological barrier is quite daunting as well,” Luo said.
Taiwan’s 119-member contingent for the Oct. 18-24 games will contest archery, athletics, badminton, judo, powerlifting, shooting, swimming, table tennis, ten-pin bowling, and wheelchair basketball, dance sport and tennis.
More than 6,000 athletes from 41 countries and territories participated in the opening ceremony. (SSC-JSM)
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