Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/18
By: Lin Hung-han and Frances Huang

Taipei, July 18 (CNA) Taiwan upended South Korea in dramatic fashion in the final of the Asia Pacific Zone Tournament in Seoul on Monday to advance to the World Series of the Pony League’s Bronco Division for players aged 11 and 12.

Taiwan’s team, largely comprised of players from Kaohsiung’s Jhong-Jheng Elementary School (中正國小), was locked in a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning when Wang Tien-hsin (王天鑫) hit a walk-off grand slam, giving his team a 9-5 win.

With the victory, Taiwan will represent the Asia Pacific region at the Bronco World Series, which opens in Los Alamitos, California on Aug. 4 and runs through Aug. 8.

In Monday’s final, Taiwan trailed for the first four innings of the regulation seven-inning game, but took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth on two walks, a hit and an error by South Korea.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 18, 2016
By: Dave Carroll / Staff reporter

Taiwan advanced to the final of Davis Cup Asia/Ocenia Group II yesterday after Chen Ti rallied

from a set down to win the first reverse singles rubber and complete a 3-1 victory over the Philippines in Manila.

World No. 227 Chen fell a set down to Jeson Patrombon at the Philippine Columbian Association, but rallied to complete a 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-0, 6-1 victory in 2 hours, 50 minutes.

The Taiwanese saved nine of 17 break points and converted nine of 12, winning 119 of the 214 points contested against an opponent who served up seven double faults.

The victory handed Taiwan a 3-1 victory in the tie after Chen defeated Ruben Gonzales 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 in Friday’s first singles rubber and Francis Casey Alcantara retired with world No. 529 Huang Liang-chi leading the second singles rubber 6-1, 3-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 1-0.     [FULL  STORY]

TRAILBLAZER:The ‘Big Cannon’ was the first Taiwanese ballplayer to appear in the major leagues in the US when he debuted for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 14, 2002

Taipei Times
Date: Jul 18, 2016
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter

Fans and fellow players paid tribute to baseball veteran Chen Chin-feng at the CPBL All-Star

Weekend, where he led the Red Team to a 8-6 win over the White Team on Saturday night, with the crowd in the ballpark chanting Chen’s name in unison when he came out to bat.

For spectators and officials at the Sinjhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City, the All-Star Game turned into a testimonial for Chen, the first Taiwanese to play in the major leagues when he made his debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 14, 2002.

Chen, known as the “Big Cannon” for his power and clutch homers at international tournaments, struggled to remain in the Dodgers lineup and he returned to Taiwan to join the La New Bears in 2006.

After 11 season in the CPBL, the latest with the Lamigo Monkeys, Chen announced that he would retire at the end of this year and that it would be his final All-Star Weekend.     [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: July 17, 2016
By: CNA

CNA — Two people are seen bungee jumping from a 43-meter-high Baling Highway Bridge in the mountainous Fuxing Township, Taoyuan City. This is part of the activities for the 2016 Northern Cross-Island Highway Travel Festival (北橫旅遊節) organized by the Taoyuan City Government, which opened on Saturday, July 16.     [SOURCE]

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Taipei Times
Date: Jul 17, 2016
By: Dave Carroll / Staff reporter

The Philippines’ Ruben Gonzales reacts in his Asia-Oceania Davis Cup Group II match against

Taiwan’s Ti Chen at the Philippine Columbian Association clay court in Manila on Friday. Photo: EPA

The Philippines grabbed a lifeline in their Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group II semi-final against Taiwan yesterday, winning the doubles rubber to cut their deficit to 2-1 going into today’s reverse singles in the best-of-five match.

Ruben Gonzales and doubles specialist Treat Huey rallied from a set down to defeat Taiwanese duo Hung Jui-chen and Wang Chieh-fu 6-7 (7/9), 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 in 3 hours, 21 minutes at the Philippine Columbian Association in Manila.

The Philippine pairing saved eight of nine break points and converted five of 19, firing down 10 aces and winning 151 of the 272 points contested.

Taiwan took a 2-0 lead in the semi-final on Friday after world No. 227 Chen Ti defeated Ruben Gonzales 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the first singles rubber and Francis Casey Alcantara retired with world No. 529 Huang Liang-chi leading the second singles rubber 6-1, 3-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, 1-0.     [FULL  STORY]

The China Post
Date: July 17, 2016
By: CNA

CNA — Chinese Professional Baseball League’s Chen Chin-feng is ready to bat in the 2016 All-Stars exhibition game in New Taipei City on Saturday, July 16. Chen hit a deep double to left field and earned an RBI on the hit. The game featured CPBL star players in two teams, and it was Chen’s last time playing in a CPBL All-Stars game because he is retiring at the end of the season. “I still have plenty of time to say my goodbyes,” Chen laughed on Saturday.    [SOURCE]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/15
By: Lee Yu-cheng and Elaine Hou

Taipei, July 15 (CNA) Taiwanese athletes who win a medal at this year’s Summer Olympics in Rio

could be in for bigger paydays than ever before, with gold medal winners able to earn a cash award of up to NT$40 million (US$1.25 million).

According to revisions to regulations on national sports awards passed last year, the cash award given by the country to an Olympic gold medal winner has risen from NT$12 million to NT$20 million, while the NT$7 million and NT$5 million awards going to silver and bronze medal winners, respectively, remain unchanged.

The revisions also increased the cash awards given to medal winners in three core Olympic sports — track and field, swimming and gymnastics.

Athletes who win medals at major international sports events, such as the Olympics, the Asian Games and the Universiade, in those core competitions will earn cash awards from the country that are 50 percent higher than the standard for other events.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/07/12
By: Wang Hung-kuo and Frances Huang

Taipei, July 12 (CNA) The 2016 International Children Games (ICG) opened in the

Xinzhuang Gymnasium of New Taipei Tuesday evening.

A gods parade, which featured Taiwan’s folk culture, at the game’s opening ceremony, caught the attention of some 2,000 young athletes aged 12-15 and faculties from 83 cities in 30 countries across the world.

Along with fire wheel acrobatics, which mimicked flying eagle movement, the gods parade earned an ovation from all of the participants in the opening ceremony.

It was the 50th ICG after the first one kicked off in Celje, Slovenia in 1968.     [FULL  STORY]