Taiwan claim taekwondo gold at University Games

Taiwan earned its first gold medal at the World University Games in Bangkok on Friday as Lin An-ni (林安妮) won the women's 67kg taekwondo event on the second day of the competition.

Lin, who is a student at the National College of Physical Education and Sports in Taoyuan County, won the gold medal by defeating her Turkish rival in the championship match.

12th place overall

Meanwhile, Hung Chun-an (洪俊安) won a bronze medal in the men's under-78kg taekwondo event and Chen Yen-ju took bronze in the women's under-72kg event, giving Taiwan a total of three medals and 12th place in the overall medal count on Friday.

Taiwan led Canada, with one gold medal and one silver, and was even with hosts Thailand, with two gold and one silver, at the close of Friday's events.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese athletes performed well in the tennis event, with players in the singles and doubles competitions making it to the third-round.

In the hunt

On the same day, Taiwan athletes competing in the men's and women's table tennis, badminton and shooting events performed well, keeping themselves in the hunt for gold.

Also on Friday, the Taiwan women's basketball team squeezed past Serbia 59-52 to earn a spot in the quarter-finals.

The Taiwan squad earned a fifth-place finish in the previous World University Games held in 2005 in Izmir, Turkey.

The biennial international collegiate sports event will run until Saturday.