A Taiwanese ultramarathoner turned heads on Saturday when he decided in the middle of a 4,989km road race in New York City to exchange his running shoes for a pair of sandals, bringing unexpected attention to the Taiwanese manufacturers of the unassuming flip-flops.
Out of a field of seven ultramarathoners, Lo Wei-ming (羅維銘) crossed the finish line of the 25th Annual Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race in second place — wearing sandals.
Lo, the first Asian to complete the grueling challenge, finished with a time of 48 days, 11 hours, 52 minutes and 1 second, but it was his footwear that might have left the most lasting impression on other distance runners.
The sandals were made by B&M Caiman with materials sourced from Formosa Plastics Corp.
B&M Caiman’s line of Oyster-Tech Antimicrobial Y Sandals are made of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), a Formosa Plastics executive, who asked not to be named, said on Monday.
EVA tends to be softer than rubber, has good elasticity, absorbs shocks well and forms a lighter, more comfortable shoe that hugs the foot better than footwear with rubber soles, the executive said.
Those qualities led Lo to make the switch mid-race.
The long-distance runner said that running shoes provide good protection, but using them for long periods can lead to swollen or blistered feet.
However, the sandals gave him the comfort and support he needed, Lo added.
An antibacterial powder made from recycled oyster shells is added during the manufacturing process and gives the sandals an antibacterial property.
However, the executive said the process is “tricky.”
If the amount added is not exactly right, the powder, which primarily consists of calcium carbonate, can render the EVA material too hard, neutralizing its strengths.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS