The swim team of Tamkang University has performed amazingly in the just-concluded 11th Song-Tzu-Mei Swimming Contest, hosted by National Central University in Taoyuan. Amid the fierce competitions of 452 athletes from 19 universities and colleges nationwide, the TKU representatives won a total number of three gold medals, three silvers and four bronzes, which is the best record for the school in the annual event. “We have performed brilliantly in the event though our school does not have sports-related departments,” said Hsieh Hsing-chu, director of the TKU Office of Physical Education.

The three gold medals are won in the following categories: the group 500 meters relay, male 100m free style, (Cheng Yu-hsiung, freshman in the Department of Accounting), and male 200m relay of free style, (Cheng, Wei Shih-hung, senior from the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Huang Wei-han, sophomore from Department of Public Administration, and Chin Ke-si, junior from the Department of International Trade.) Wei also won a silver in the male 50m free style, while Chin won a silver in the male 50m breast stroke category. Meanwhile, Huang won the fifth place in male 100m back stroke and sixth place in the male 100m free style. Huang pointed out the game schedule of this year’s event was too tight, which is a major challenge for athletes both physically and psychologically.

The female members of the TKU swim team also had great performance in the event, winning a silver in the female 100m breast stroke (Chao Wan-wen, senior in the Department of Business Administration), and a bronze in the female 50m breast stroke (Lee Si-chia, sophomore in the Department of International Trade). A new member of the team, Chen Hung-chieh, freshman of Department of International Trade, won two bronze in the events of 50m back stroke and 100m breast stroke. Chen, Chao, together with Hung Hsiu-hua, senior in the Department of French, and Chang I-hsin, junior in the Department of Department of Information and Library Science, won female 200m relay of mixed styles. Hung also won the fifth place in both 100m free style and 50m breast stroke categories.

Swim team captain Chang I-cheng said that the great performance of his team in the event can be attributed to the hardwork and practice that all of the team members had endured in the past months. Coach Huang Kuan-hua also gave credit to his team, saying that all of the members have done an even better job in the competitions than their usual performance during practices. According to Huang, aside from practicing swimming skill in the pool, he would also ask his members to enhance their cardio respiratory function by engage in running, mountain climbing, among others. Huang also expressed gratitude to the school for building the Shao-mo Memorial Natatorium Complex, which enables his team to practice their swimming skills three times a week in an up-to-date facility. However, there are still some room for improvement, he noted. Captain Chang also took the opportunity to invite new blood to join his team, saying that his team usually holds practices at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. He also said that his team is recruiting a manager right now, inviting those who are interested in the position to file for application.

Hsieh Hsing-chu, Director of the TKU Office of Physical Education, said that the school’s swimming team had previously won many glory for the TKU, while expressing the hope that the team can continue to do so for the school. ( ~Yeh Yun-kai )