Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/11/05
By: Hao Hsueh-chin and Romulo Huang

Taipei, Nov. 5 (CNA) The 2016 Citizens Sports Games, a national competition organized around events not included in the Olympic games, officially opened on Saturday in Taichung, central Taiwan, with more than 8,000 athletes from 22 cities and counties around Taiwan taking part.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) urged the general public to embrace sport which he said is not only a healthy pastime but can also help facilitate breakthroughs in other areas.

Chen also praised the hard work of Taichung in organizing such a national sporting event, which he said would provide the city with invaluable experiences for future large-scale events such as the 2018 World Flora Expo and 2019 East Asian Youth Games.

A total of 25 disciplines will be contested during the games which will run through Nov. 9.   [SOURCE]