President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of August 17 with athletes who had represented the ROC at the just-completed 2012 London Summer Olympic Games. In addition to praising the performance of the athletes from the ROC, the president also explained the government's policies and directions with regard to athletics.
In remarks, the president first complimented the athletes on their rigorous training, as well as the fighting spirit they exhibited during the Games. The president noted that Hsu Shu-ching (許淑淨) on July 29 won the first medal of the Games for the ROC, in the 53 kilogram and under weight class in women's weightlifting. This also marked the first ever Olympic silver medal for an athlete from Taiwan in weightlifting, he said. Meanwhile, ROC table tennis sensation Chuang Chih-yuan (莊智淵) placed fourth in men's individual table tennis, becoming the first individual in Taiwan's table tennis history to make it to the semifinals in Olympics table tennis. President Ma said that he watched Chuang in action in his final match and that he personally sent him a message afterwards congratulating him on his strong showing. On August 3, Chang Ming-huang (張銘煌) excelled in the shot put, becoming Asia's first men's shot putter to advance to the round of 12. Rounding out the best of the ROC's performances was Tseng Li-cheng (曾櫟騁), who on August 10 won a bronze medal in the women's 57 kilogram and under weight class in Taekwondo, he said.
President Ma furthermore noted that archer Tan Ya-ting (譚雅婷) on the first day of the archery competition scored 671, which broke her personal best and was also a national record. The president noted that in the women's shot put, Lin Chia-ying (林佳瑩) threw the shot 17.43 meters, which was the 12th time that she has broken the ROC record. Meanwhile, Chen Shih-chieh (陳士杰), a first-time participant in the Olympics from the ROC in weight lifting in the over 105 kilogram class, lifted 236 kilograms, breaking the ROC national record. President Ma said that while these individuals were unable to win medals in their respective sports, their outstanding performances in the Olympics exceeded their best here, and he congratulated them on this feat.
The president mentioned that the 44 athletes from the ROC gave their best efforts over the course of the 17-day Olympics. In addition to exhibiting their strength in their respective sports, their determined spirit also won the support of the entire public here, as well as praise from overseas compatriots and foreign observers. President Ma stated that athletes from each nation dream about being able to compete at the Olympics, but that competitive sports is a zero-sum game, with winners and losers in every sport. The ROC's team in this Olympics won one silver and one bronze medal, ranking 63rd among all of the participating nations. The president also noted that this was the third best performance by a team from the ROC since 1960, and also marks a modest improvement from the last summer games, during which the ROC won four bronzes and was ranked 80th. President Ma said that careful consideration will need to be given in the future to determine a reasonable medal count for a nation with the economic strength and population of Taiwan.
President Ma also mentioned that the government places emphasis on competitive sports, and is serious about popularizing sports and athletic activity throughout society in general. Consequently, he said that his administration has planned the construction of 50 athletic centers and 20 sports parks throughout Taiwan, providing a greater range of venues where the public can engage in athletic activity and thereby boost the number of people involved in sports here. President Ma commented that the percentage of people here who engage in regular athletic activity daily has risen to about 27% this year from about 24% in 2008. While there is still room for progress based on comparisons with advanced nations, the president said the government will continue to promote an environment conducive to sports here.
President Ma emphasized that the government's efforts to get the general public involved in sports offers an opportunity to uncover a greater number of world-class athletes here, and more importantly can promote better health. The president cited data from the Cabinet-level Department of Health that indicated that seven of the 10 leading causes of death here are related to being overweight. President Ma expressed his hopes that the public will continue to support the government's efforts to promote athletic activity, thereby creating a healthier nation. He also said he hopes that our athletes will continue to work hard to win distinction for the nation. As a president who deeply loves sports, President Ma said that he will continue to provide resolute support for athletes.
President Ma presented commemorative gold coins to Hsu Shu-ching and Tseng Li-cheng in recognition of their medal winning performances at the London Olympic Games.
The team was escorted to the Presidential Office by Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee President Tsai Chen-wei (蔡辰威), Sports Affairs Council Minister Tai Hsia-ling (戴遐齡), and Sports Affairs Council Deputy Minister Rosa Chien (錢薇娟) to receive congratulations from the president. Also attending the meeting was Deputy Secretary-General to the President Hsiung Kuang-hua (熊光華).