Issue date: January 19
Issuing unit: Sports Industry & Planning Division
Unit contact person: Lin Ya-hui, Assistant Researcher
Tel: 02-8771-1536
E-mail:k013@mail.sa.gov.tw
Media contact person:Wu Wei-ming, Section Chief
Tel: 02-8771-1935
E-mail:wu433@mail.sa.gov.tw
2021 provided a rich sporting harvest for Taiwan. After media recommendation and the initial selection meeting, the athletes, coaches and teams in the six categories of the Sports Elite Awards were chosen for final evaluation to decide the awardees. The winners of the Sports Elite Awards were confirmed at the final selection meeting on December 24th Morning. Yang Yung-wei received the Best Male Athlete Award, Kuo Hsing-chun the Best Female Athlete Award, Chen Hung-ling the Best Coach Award; Best Team Award was given to the men’s badminton doubles pair at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Pan Cheng-tsung received the Best Sports Spirit Award; the Best Newcomer Award, that can only be won once in a lifetime, was received by Hsu Le. The Lifetime Achievement Award for Weng Ming-hui and Special Award for Chuang Chih-yuan were also presented by Vice President Lai Ching-te at the ceremony.
The finalists in the Best Male Athlete category were gymnast and regular Sports Elite Awards finalist Lee Chih-kai, Tang Chih-chun, who has performed outstandingly on the archery field, judoka Yang Yung-wei, who achieved eye-catching results at his first Olympics, and Pan Cheng-tsung, who never gives up on the golf course.
The finalists in the Best Female Athlete category were Wen Tzu-yun, “Goddess of Weightlifting” Kuo Hsing-chun, who has bagged 10 golds in her career, new boxing star Huang Hsiao-wen, who isn’t afraid to challenge herself, Chen I-ching, who has performed excellently in singles and mixed doubles table tennis, and fearless young taekwondo athlete Lo Chia-ling. In the end, after intense discussion amongst the judges, Kuo Hsing-chun was given the Best Female Athlete Award.
There were four finalists for the Best Coach Award, namely weightlifting coach Lin Ching-neng, badminton coach Chen Hung-ling, judo coach Liu Wen-deng and archery coach Liu Chan-ming. At this year’s Olympics, the encouragement and tactical guidance they gave their athletes helped them achieve excellent results, their accompaniment and support also allowing the athletes to put the coach’s tactical orders fully into practice. This award went to Chen Hung-ling, however, the quiet giving and support of all the coaches is the best backup for the athletes and, regardless of whether they won, they still share glory with the athletes.
There were three finalists in the Best Newcomer category, including weightlifter Wang Ling-chen, track and field sprinter Chang Po-ya and hurdler Hsu Le. Each athlete only has one chance to win this award in their life, making judges especially careful in the discussion and voting process. The award went to Hsu Le in the end.
In the initial selection meeting for the Sports Spirit Award this time, the judges gave high marks to each athlete for their fighting spirit. Boxer Huang Hsiao-wen and golfer Pan Cheng-tsung were discussed the most and won the unanimous support of the judges. Their fighting spirit left everyone with a deep impression and is worthy of admiration. In the end, Pan was given the award, however, all the athletes deserve our support and encouragement for showing admirable spirit and willpower in competition.
The finalists for the Best Sports Team Award were the badminton men’s doubles team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the men’s artistic gymnastics team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the men’s archery team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The outstanding performance of all of the teams at the Olympics was there for all to see, the spirit shown in match after match also thrilling TV viewers in Taiwan. The badminton men’s doubles team from 2020 Tokyo Olympics came away with the award.
Vice President Lai Ching-te presented the Lifetime Achievement Awards for Weng Ming-hui and the Special Award for Chuang Chih-yuan. He encouraged and congratulated all the awardees in his speech and expressed understanding of the hardships athletes face when representing Taiwan all over the world. He thanked athletes for their stunning performamances in competition, not only letting the world see Taiwan, also letting Taiwan’s athletes to continually shine. He expressed the hope that Taiwan’s athletes will continue to achieve good results and exceed their limits in future competitions.
Weng Ming-hui created Woodball in 1992 and established the Chinese Taipei Woodball Association the next year, setting the rules and actively promoting the sport; later, he established the Chinese Taipei University Sports Federation Woodball Committee and began promoting the sport in colleges across Taiwan. The Asian Woodball Federation, European Woodball Federation and International Woodball Federation were formed in 1999, promoting the sport internationally. Mr.Weng Ming-hui actively promoted the sport for 30 years, overcoming hardship and difficulty along the way. Today, more 50 countries are members of the International Woodball Federation. Because of Weng, Woodball has written a new distinctively Taiwanese page in international sport and set a model example for sports circles in Taiwan. Sadly dying of illness this year, Mr. Weng’s efforts and persistence and his contribution to Woodball are worthy of remembering and praising.
From Kaohsiung, Chuang Chih-Yuan is nicknamed “Taiwan’s Godfather of table tennis.” He took fourth place at the 2012 London Olympics in the men’s singles, and reached the last 16 in the men’s singles and also led the young national team to the last eight at the Tokyo Olympics this year. With Lin Yun-ju and Chen Chien-an, in the quarters finals the team put up a good fight, sending fans watching at home on TV wild with excitement, but fell to the eventual silver medal winners, Germany. His never-say-die spirit left the people of Taiwan with a deep impression and consolidated his status as a legend of Taiwanese table tennis.
The Sports Administration said that the Sports Elite Awards commend outstanding sporting spirit. This year’s finalists all performed remarkably. Some athletes were unable to attend because they are taking part in competition overseas or undergoing quarantine, however, they remain at their posts and continue to make a contribution to sports circles in their own way. It is hoped that people in Taiwan will give them more affirmation. Although this year’s Sports Elite Awards may have left some deserving athletes unrecognized, they are by no means inferior. The Sports Administration will continue to support and encourage athletes and hope to see all athletes and coaches display indomitable fighting spirit and achieve success in competition.