Huang Yu-ting was the nation’s golden girl last night at the Yangming Skating Rink as she won Taiwan’s first gold of the World Games in the women’s 300m speed rollerskating final.
Huang crossed the line in a time of 27.67 seconds, beating her compatriot Hsu Chiao-jen into second place and a silver medal by just .006 seconds.
Taiwan’s second gold medal followed just 30 minutes later in the men’s final, with Lo Wei-lin finishing ahead of the field in 25.55 seconds.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s quest for a korfball medal got off to a good start at Kaohsiung Normal University Gymnasium with a hard-fought 26-19 victory over Portugal.
The first half was a fast-paced affair with Taiwan’s better distance shooting paying off, helping them to a 10-8 lead at the break.
After the interval, Taiwan pulled away led by six goals from Chiu Chih-yi and five from Lin Hsiu-yun to secure the win.
Earlier in the day at the Lide Baseball Stadium, Taiwan’s softball team had an easy opener in the preliminary round, racing to an 11-0 lead in the first three innings against Canada.
The game was called off with the score unchanged after five innings because of the mercy rule.
Taiwan won the second game against Japan 2-0, although the result had not been declared official at press time last night.
In the fistball over at Chung Cheng Stadium, Taiwan struggled in the hot, humid conditions against superior opposition.
Taiwan’s team was formed within the last four years and the inexperience of the players showed against their more accomplished opponents, although they couldn’t be faulted for their effort.
In their first game against a strong Brazil line-up, they went down in three sets 11-4,11-5,11-4.
FRIDAY, JULY 17
Air Sports Parachuting
Five medal events postponed
Dragon Boat
200m Final 1
First: Russia
Second: Hungary
Third: Taiwan
2,000m Final
First: Russia
Second: Taiwan
Third: Canada
Gymnastics Rhythmic
Women’s Rope Final
Gold: Eugenia Kanaeva (Russia)
Silver: Anna Bessonova (Ukraine)
Bronze: Olga Kapranova (Russia)
Women’s Hoop Final
Gold: Eugenia Kanaeva (Russia)
Silver: Olga Kapranova (Russia)
Bronze: Silvia Miteva (Bulgaria)
Orienteering
Women’s Sprint Final
Gold: Minna Kauppi (Finland)
Silver: Johanna Allston (Australia)
Bronze: Elise Egseth (Norway)
Men’s Sprint Final
Gold: Andrey Khramov (Russia)
Silver: Daniel Hubmann (Switzerland)
Bronze: Tero Fohr (Finland)
Roller Sports: Speed
Men’s 300m Final
Gold: Lo Wei-lin (Taiwan)
Silver: Andres Felipe Munoz (Colombia)
Bronze: Pedro Armando Causil
(Colombia)
Women’s 300m Final
Gold: Huang Yu-ting (Taiwan)
Silver: Hsu Chiao-jen (Taiwan)
Bronze: Lim Jin-seon (South Korea)
Women’s Point + Elimination 10,000m Final
Gold: Woo Hyo-sook (South Korea)
Silver: R.C. Martha Lucia (Colombia)
Bronze: Nicole Begg (New Zealand)
Men’s Point + Elimination
10,000m Final
Gold: Yann Guyader (France)
Silver: Nelson Garzon (Colombia)
Bronze: Daniel Ven Alvarez (Venezuela)
Sumo
Women’s Lightweight Finals
Gold: Alina Boykova (Ukraine)
Silver: Selenge Enkhzaya (Mongolia)
Bronze: Nelli Vorobyeva (Russia)
Men’s Lightweight Finals
Gold: Sandor Bardosi (Hungary)
Silver: Nachyn Mongush (Russia)
Bronze: Gantugs Rentsendorj (Mongolia)
Women’s Middleweight Finals
Gold: Epp Mae (Estonia)
Silver: Maryna Pryshchepa (Ukraine)
Bronze: Asano Matsuura (Japan)
Men’s Middleweight Finals
Gold: Ryo Ito (Japan)
Silver: Katsuo Yoshida (Japan)
Bronze: Kostiantyn Iermakov (Ukraine)
Women’s Heavyweight Finals
Gold: Anna Zhigalova (Russia)
Silver: Olga Davydko (Ukraine)
Bronze: Ekaterina Keyb (Russia)
Men’s Heavyweight Finals
Gold: Takashi Himeno (Japan)
Silver: Naranbat Gankhuyag (Mongolia)
Bronze: Alan Karaev (Russia)
Later, against Germany, Taiwan dropped the first set 11-3, before improving in the second, but too many basic errors and a vulnerability to the drop shot cost them dearly, as they went down 11-5.
The third set started brightly with Taiwan actually leading 3-2 at one point before Germany’s strength began to tell. The Europeans eventually wrapped up the match by taking the third set 11-5.