Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/11/25
By: Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Nov. 24 (CNA) Taiwanese people voted against a closely watched referendum Saturday on whether Taiwan should apply to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics under the name “Taiwan” instead of “Chinese Taipei.”

The referendum was voted down by a roughly 55-45 percent margin, with 10.51 million valid votes counted as of 2:20 a.m. Sunday.

The petition was spearheaded by renowned Taiwanese Olympian Chi Cheng (紀政), following a movement on the streets of Tokyo two years ago to collect the signatures of people who agreed that Taiwan should be allowed to attend the Tokyo games under the name “Taiwan.”

A track and field athlete, 74-year-old Chi took part in the Olympic Games in 1960, 1964 and 1968 and won a bronze medal in the women’s 80-meter hurdles at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/11/21
By: Joseph Yeh 

Taipei, Nov. 21 (CNA) A group of Taiwanese Olympians on Wednesday voiced their opposition to a national referendum on whether Taiwan should apply to participate in all international sporting events under the name “Taiwan” instead of “Chinese Taipei,” the name currently used.

The Olympians expressed concern that if the Nov. 24 referendum passes, Taiwan would risk losing its Olympic membership, preventing Taiwanese athletes from competing in Olympic-related events.

“We oppose the referendum not because we don’t love our country, but because we need to follow the rules and the agreement,” said female archer Lei Chien-ying (雷千瑩), who won a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

“Hard-working Taiwanese athletes need a stage on which to showcase their strengths so that people around the world can know that we are actually from Taiwan,” she said.    [FULL  STORY]

Radio Taiwan International 
Date: 20 November, 2018
By: John Van Trieste

Taiwanese athletes have come home with five medals from a wake surfing and wake boarding competition in Singapore. Members of Taiwan’s team are now home and gearing up for next year.

Taiwan made a strong showing at this year’s Wakefest Singapore, an Asian wake surfing and wake boarding competition held over the weekend. All five of Taiwan’s athletes brought home a medal. At the final count, Taiwan had won two gold medals, one silver medal, and two bronzes.

Each event requires dedication and training, but also the ability to perform under pressure. Competitors had just a little over a minute to perform an array of jumps, spins, and other difficult maneuvers.

With 16 countries represented at this year’s competition, Taiwan’s wins are a good chance to stand out internationally. One gold medal winner says the team’s hope for next year is to keep raising the profile of Taiwanese wake boarding and wake surfing.
[SOURCE]

Tsai greeted tug-of-war champions at the Presidential Office Building today

Taiwan News 
Date: 2018/11/19
By: Ryan Drillsma, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In an interview at the Presidential Office Building today, Tsai Ing-wen said sporting events continue to remain one of the best ways for Taiwan to break through diplomatic difficulties.

The President appeared at a reception today (Nov. 19) to honor Taiwan’s outdoor tug-of-war team on sweeping up nearly half of all competition medals at this year’s championship at Cape Town in September. She said she hoped the outstanding performance displayed by the athletes will continue to let Taiwan shine through the haze of international pressure obscuring its name.

The team’s athletic prowess led them to win five gold, one silver, and a bronze medal in the competition hosted by South Africa. Taiwan has had outstanding success in a number of other sporting events this year, grabbing 18 medals at the 2018 Gay Games in Paris, and coming away with six from October’s Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.

Tsai highlighted the rigorous training athletes must undergo to compete in a tug-of-war, and the strong will the Taiwanese competitors maintained in order to achieve their success. She commented, “The wounds on everyone’s hands represent their unswerving determination and drive.”    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/11/19
By: Sie Jing-wun and Ko Lin 

Taipei, Nov. 19 (CNA) Taiwanese baseball star Yoh Daikan (陽岱鋼), who plays for the Yomiuri Giants in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) said Monday that he will give his all to earn a spot in the starting lineup next season.

“It’s been tough this year,” Yoh said during a homecoming press event in Taipei after the end of his second season with the Giants.

The outfielder fractured his left hand in a game against Japan’s Chunichi Dragons in early April and remained on the injured list for a month and a half before returning to the team’s active roster.

But many times, Yoh was only available off the bench and did not see much action in the second half of the season. He eventually finished the 2018 season with a 0.245 batting average, 10 homeruns, and 37 RBIs in the 87 games he played for the Giants.    [FULL STORY]

No. 1 seed and world No. 1 retires hurt with waist injury

Taiwan News
Date: 2018/11/18
By: Scott Morgan, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – World No. 1 women’s singles badminton player Tai Tzu-ying

(戴資穎) retired hurt from the Hong Kong Open on Nov. 17 with a waist injury.

Tai retired shortly after the losing the first game to Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara 12-21 at the semi-final stage.

Tai was on track to take home her third consecutive Hong Kong Open title, after the No. 1 seed beat Spain’s Carolina Marín in straight sets.

After the match, Tai told CNA that she injured herself a few days earlier, but did not reveal the nature of the injury, or how it occurred.

Tai went on to say that her performance in the tournament was not bad, and rejected the idea that it was a pity that she had to bow out.    [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/11/18
By: Shih Hsiu-chuan 

Taipei, Nov. 18 (CNA) A team of celebrities from the Philippines is scheduled to play a friendly basketball match in Taichung Sunday to celebrate Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Taiwan.

The Star Magic Team from the Philippines will play the winner of a playoff between two teams of Filipino migrant workers at 3 p.m. at Fengyuan District Stadium in Taichung. The playoff takes place at 9:30 a.m.

The event is not just a performance for OFWs by celebrities, it is intended to inspire them and display passion for basketball which is very popular among Filipinos in Taiwan, Gerald Anderson, a film and television actor and celebrity team captain, said at the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) Saturday.

The team was greeted by members of Filipino organizations in Taiwan at a welcome reception held Saturday at the MECO in Taipei.    [FULL  STORY]