SECOND-BEST SHOWING: Despite the nation’s athletes winning 17 gold, 19 silver and 31 bronze, some Taiwanese question the awarding of cash sums and the team results
Taipei Times
Date: Sep 03, 2018
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter
As the closing ceremony yesterday wrapped up this year’s Asian Games, sports officials
Lin Wei-chih of Taiwan, left, and Law Leong Tim of Hong Kong compete in the Asian Games mixed triathlon final at Palembang, Indonesia, yesterday. Photo: Reuters
and fans found the event a reason to celebrate, because Taiwanese athletes won 17 gold, 19 silver and 31 bronze medals, a total of 67.
Their achievements should be lauded by the whole nation, sports agencies and government officials are saying. It was the nation’s second-best showing at the event, only surpassed by the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Sports Administration has announced that a total of NT$358.8 million (US$11.68 million) in prize money will be handed out to the winning athletes.
However, some critics are saying that, apart from praiseworthy results in several events, the nation’s athletes failed to deliver at critical moments in the major team competitions, finishing third in men’s baseball, behind Japan and South Korea, and arriving home without a medal in soccer or basketball. [FULL STORY]
