Chinese Taipei athletes feel at home in Hangzhou
Spectators cheer for the Chinese Taipei team, which beat Iran in the women's kabaddi semifinal, securing a score of 35 to 24 on Friday at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
Members of the Chinese Taipei delegation participating in the 19th Asian Games said that they were deeply touched by the hospitality they received in Hangzhou, and the warmth and kindness of local people made them feel truly "at home".
The Chinese Taipei delegation is comprised of over 500 athletes participating in 33 sports such as table tennis, taekwondo, badminton and tennis.
By 2 pm on Friday, Chinese Taipei had recorded a tally of 53 medals — 15 gold, 15 silver and 23 bronze — putting it in seventh place on the overall medal table.
On Friday morning, when Chinese Taipei and Iran competed in the women's semi-final of kabaddi, a traditional combative sport originating from South Asia, the atmosphere was highly charged.
Chinese Taipei beat Iran, securing a score of 35 to 24 to get a spot in the final. This achievement surpassed its previous best record of a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
In a post-match interview with China Daily, Feng Hsiu-chen of Chinese Taipei's kabaddi women's team said that the resounding cheers from the spectators left her with "a feeling of being at home".
"While competing, I could hear the cheers and calls of support from the stands," Feng said. "Hearing the crowd encouraged me to persevere and never give up during the match."