Chinese Taipei athletes feel at home in Hangzhou

Members of the Chinese Taipei delegation participating in the 19th Asian Games said that they were deeply touched by the hospitality they received in Hangzhou, and the warmth and kindness of locals made them feel truly "at home".

The Chinese Taipei delegation is comprised of over 500 athletes participating in 33 sports such as table tennis, taekwondo, badminton and tennis.

By 8:30 pm on Friday, Chinese Taipei had recorded a tally of 58 medals — 17 gold, 16 silver and 25 bronze — putting it in seventh place on the overall medal table.

On Friday morning, when Chinese Taipei and Iran competed in the women's semifinal of kabaddi, a traditional combative sport originating from South Asia, the atmosphere was highly charged.

Chinese Taipei beat Iran, securing a score of 35 to 24 to get a spot in the final. This achievement surpassed its previous best record of a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

In a post-match interview with China Daily, Feng Hsiu-chen of Chinese Taipei's kabaddi women's team said that the resounding cheers from the spectators left her with "a feeling of being at home".

"While competing, I could hear the cheers and calls of support from the stands," Feng said. "Hearing the crowd encouraged me to persevere and never give up during the match."

Another Chinese Taipei female kabaddi athlete, Hu Yu-chen, expressed deep gratitude for the enthusiastic local fans cheering them on.

"Having the crowd firmly in our corner provided tremendous momentum as we made our debut," Hu said, adding that her team was encouraged by the lively support throughout the match.

Chinese Taipei gymnast Lee Chihkai, who took gold in the men's pommel horse on Sept 28, also expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support he received, during a post-match interview.

"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for the spectators' continued cheering", he said.

Chinese Taipei table tennis player Chen Szu-Yu, who competed in a women's doubles match on Sept 29, said that the local arena is more spacious than where she had played before, allowing for a larger number of spectators.

The enthusiastic crowd created a really vibrant atmosphere, Chen said.

Hsiao Shu-feng, a sports researcher with the Chinese Taipei delegation, said that everyone she encountered in Hangzhou, from volunteers to staff members and local residents, displayed a remarkable politeness and hospitality.

"Their warmth left a lasting impression on me," Hsiao said.

Sun Jie, a 40-year-old science teacher from Xiaoshan, Zhejiang province, also witnessed Chinese Taipei's performance in the women's kabaddi semifinal.

He said due to Chinese Taipei's past achievements in this sport, he has been a long-time fan.

Sun said he knew that Chinese Taipei previously won bronze at the Jakarta Asian Games, so during this competition, he enthusiastically lent his support, aiming to propel them towards even greater achievements.

"I am proud of their achievement in the sport," Sun said.

Another spectator at the match, Ni Danping, said: "I hope they can feel the support of their compatriots for them."

Zhu Weijie contributed to this story.