President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of September 20 with the team that represented the ROC at the London 2012 Paralympics. The president congratulated the team on its performance. It placed 63rd among the 164 nations that took part, having won one silver medal and two bronzes.
In remarks, the president specially congratulated the three athletes who won medals. Lee Kai-lin (李凱琳), participating in the Paralympics for the first time, won a silver medal in women's judo. The president said that Lee possesses outstanding athletic technique, and her tireless training and optimistic attitude enabled her to emerge with a silver medal in her first Paralympics, which was quite a feat. The president mentioned that Lee's uncle Lee Ching-chung (李青忠) also competed in judo for visually impaired individuals, having quit his job to take part in the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics. Lee Ching-chung, he said, underwent rigorous training in Taipei and lived up to everyone's expectations by winning gold in the 60-kilogram weight class. This marked the first time in the 1996 Paralympics that the Chinese Taipei flag was raised. It was a very moving moment, both for people in Taiwan and for overseas compatriots throughout the world, he said.
The president furthermore noted that powerlifter Lin Tzu-hui (林資惠) and archer Tseng Lung-hui (曾隆煇) both won bronze medals. Lin, he said, had previously won gold medals twice at the Paralympics, while Tseng also won a bronze medal in the 2008 Paralympics. The president praised these two athletes for their tenacity and fortitude, which enabled them to medal again in their respective sports.
President Ma expressed his deepest appreciation to all of the athletes, coaches, family members, and others involved with the ROC team for their hard work. He noted that the Paralympics is a formal international competition, and that the government attaches great importance to this event. For instance, in the run-up to this year's Paralympics, the athletes were allowed an increased number of training days, and were given more support for training expenses and equipment expenditures, he said. In addition, starting in 2010, the Executive Yuan's Sports Affairs Council was able for the first time to tap into profits from the sports lottery here to hold competitions for physically and mentally handicapped athletes in cities and counties throughout Taiwan, along with sports camps, promotional workshops, the establishment of venues for sports and leisure, and athletic training spots. At the same time, the government has provided financial assistance to outstanding athletes to enable them to engage in training and participate in competitions, he added. President Ma noted that the government also provides athletic equipment to help athletes take part in competitions, along with short-term unemployment benefits and academic counseling to help athletes further their studies. The goal of these initiatives, he said, is to provide an environment in which athletes can focus on their training and competition without other worries.
The president also mentioned that while the mission of the Paralympics is to encourage disabled individuals to demonstrate a resolute spirit in their athletic pursuits, the system to qualify for specific events is nearly as tough as that established for the Olympic Games. Consequently, more and more countries are placing importance on these games, he said, which makes the winning of medals at this competition all the more impressive.
President Ma expressed his feeling that while there are winners and losers in every competition, the spirit exhibited by the athletes and the performance of this new generation will certainly play an important role in motivating Taiwan's 1.06 million disabled individuals and the nation's 23 million people. The president expressed his hope that the athletes will continue to serve as models, thereby encouraging even more physically challenged individuals to excel.
The delegation of over 30 members of the ROC's team from the London 2012 Paralympics was led by team captain Chen Lee-Chou (陳李綢) and Director Lai Fau-hwan (賴復寰) of the Chinese Taipei Paralympic Committee to the Presidential Office to receive congratulations from President Ma. Also attending the meeting was Sports Affairs Council Deputy Minister Chen Yun-lien (陳雲蓮).