2008 National Intercollegiate Athletic Game (NIAG), held in National Changhua University of Education ended on last Tuesday (13th). TKU won four gold metals, one silver and ten bronzes, which add up to totally fifty-one awards. TKU won the eighteenth place among 168 universities and colleges. The excellent performance surpasses many universities which set up athletic departments. Hsieh Hsing -chu, Director of Physical Education expresses, “those excellent achievement is the result of students’ hard-working practices”
Every May, NIAG becomes a focal point of sports world. This year is no exception. TKU sport teams have good achievements in women tennis, gymnastics, judo, fencing, and karate, men badminton division, tae kwon do, and swimming. TKU’s Tae kwon do team and fencing team obtain three gold metals and two bronze metals.
Shiu Shiang-ting, a leader of Gymnastics Team and a sophomore of Department of Insurance added a gold metal for TKU in balance beam, and won bronze metal in the item of floor. Hsieh Hsing-chu indicates that Shiu Shiang-ting went to National Taiwan Normal University to practice before the match, and says “we admire her earnest spirit.”
Women table tennis division and men badminton division passed the qualified match in March and fought with the elites of the sixteen groups from the whole country. Women table tennis division won the bronze metal and men badminton division won the sixth place. Because of the new rules, swimming team and track and field had fewer metals than last year. However, swimming team still tried their best to get four bronze metals.
Wang Yung-shiun, Department of Mechanical and Electro-mechanical Engineering, has never lost in any competition since she entered TKU. He won Gold metals at National Intercollegiate Taekwondo Hsin-chu Cup and St. John’s National Intercollegiate Taekwondo Cup before. This year, he won gold metals in middleweight men Taekwondo. His classmates call him “the king of killer.” Strong defense and steady offense are the guarantee of his winning. He said humbly “I am so lucky to win gold.”
Ma Er-feng (Alfonso) from Belize, a sophomore of Department of International Trade, struck gold in men Taekwondo division of fly weight. At the final duel, Ma Er-feng was in deuce with the player of the second place, who was from Ching Kuo Institute of Management and Health . The competition was deadlocked and added an overtime match. At last, Ma Er-feng got one point by using spinning kick and won the champion. He says, “Five matches in a day consumed my physical strength, and I maintained by my will.”
Li Jen-chiuan, a sophomore of Department of Chemical Materials and Engineering struck gold in men saber as dark horse. He starts practicing fencing after entering TKU. And this is his first time to participate in the saber competition. He is earnest in practicing and is active to participate in the competitions outside the campus. He expressed, “I had heavy pressure when I entered the competition, especially competing for the champion, I was chased by the player of National Chenchi University and at last I won by two more points. The difference is very close.” What impressed him is that President C. I. Chang came to the sport to encourage every player.
Shiu Shiang-ting, a sophomore of Insurance has been practicing gymnastics since she was a junior high student. She won championship in balance beam, third place in floor, sixth place in Uneven Bars, seventh place in billiards, and seventh place in Individual All-around. She has won championship for two times, which made her feel happy. She says “Confronting fear, accepting challenges and get fulfillment form it is so great.”
Women swimming division also had good achievements, with four silver metals. Wu Yi-fang, the coach says, “We have many new players this year. But many new potential players cannot participate in the competition due to the test event. It is a pity. Although we didn’t win a gold metal but the whole achievement is excellent.” ( ~Lin Wen-hua )
