Olympic taekwondo competitor Su Li-wen (蘇麗文) was lauded yesterday by fans and politicians across party lines for her display of perseverence on the Olympic floor on Thursday.
Su, 27, aggravated an old injury to her left knee in her 1-0 first round defeat to South Korea’s Lim Su-jeong.
She tied with Croatia’s Martina Zubcic 4-4 after the first three rounds of the bronze medal match, but was defeated after losing a decisive point in the fourth round.
During the match, Su continued fighting until the end — despite falling to the mat 11 times in visible pain — as she had in previous competitions.
Her perseverance earned her rounds of applause and cheers from spectators in Beijing, as well as from members of the international press.
Su was carried from the mat by her coach after her defeat and was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment.
Going into the Olympics, Su, champion of the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok and the 2008 Asian Taekwondo Championship, was described by Sports Illustrated as Taiwan’s only plausible chance of winning a gold medal in Beijing.
It was Su’s first Olympics.
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) called Su yesterday morning to express his admiration for the courage and perseverance she demonstrated, saying she had moved the people of Taiwan.
“President Ma was also deeply moved by Su Li-wen’s fighting spirit. Her display of sportsmanship during the matches makes us even prouder than grabbing a gold medal,” Presidential Office spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) quoted Ma as saying yesterday.
Ma later phoned Su’s parents to congratulate them on their daughter’s brave performance in Beijing, Wang said.
Ma also called taekwondo bronze medallist Sung Yu-chi (宋玉麒) to congratulate him on his performance, Wang said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators filed a request with the Cabinet yesterday, asking the government to bestow an honor on Su for her “remarkable performance” in Beijing.
DPP legislators Hsueh Ling (薛凌) and Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) said in a joint press release that Su should be included in elementary school textbooks.
“Although Su didn’t win a medal in the competition, her tough will to fight to the last second has inspired many,” the press release said.
“Even the Chinese press praised her for winning respect even though she lost the game,” the lawmakers said.
Hsueh and Chai suggested that the government reward Su for her performance with a life-time monthly check, special priority for government positions and discounts on utility bills.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
RSS