New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) yesterday declared Aug. 12 “Lin Yu-ting Day” after the Taiwanese boxer won a gold medal in the women’s 57kg category at the Paris Olympics.
Lin’s hometown is in the city’s Yingge District (鶯歌). The final between Lin and Poland’s Julia Szeremeta was broadcast live at the city hall early yesterday morning, where Hou, Lin’s mother and more than 200 people rooted for her.
Thunderous roars and applause erupted at the city hall when the referee lifted Lin’s hand to show she had won.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
To celebrate Lin’s hard-won victory, Aug. 12 would be designated Lin Yu-ting Day, Hou said.
Train fares would be waived today for people taking the Ankeng (安坑) and Danhai (淡海) light rail transit systems, and people could get one week of free access to fitness centers and swimming centers at municipal sports centers, as well as the Banshu (板樹) and Taishan (泰山) sports parks, he said.
Admission fees would also be waived for one week for visitors to the city museum, he said.
Photo: Chiang Ying-ying, AP
Lin’s victory would be broadcast on the televisions at MRT stations, in sports centers and all public broadcasting systems owned by the city, the New Taipei City Government said.
New Taipei Metro Corp said that it could only offer the free MRT services today, because it first had to adjust the ticketing system.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said he would fulfill his pledge by giving away 300 deep-fried chicken cutlets at the party’s headquarters in Taipei at 10am today.
“Lin experienced gender discrimination at the Olympic Games, but she proved herself through her performance at the boxing ring. Her story showed the people in Taiwan that no one should be restricted by any stereotypical images of gender, and the best presentation is to be true to yourself,” Chu wrote on Facebook.
“Lin showed the resilience of a New Taipei City girl, and we are all deeply touched by her all-out attitude and fighting spirit. Thank you for uniting Taiwan once again,” he added.
KMT Taoyuan City Councilor Lin Tao (凌濤) also said that 100 cups of bubble tea would be available at the party’s headquarters and another 100 in his district office in Taoyuan.
PX Mart, 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, HiLife, OK Mart, MOS Burger, KFC and Milksha outlets nationwide are also offering discounts on beverages and other products in celebration of Lin’s triumph.
People dining at Chiayi City’s Smart Fish restaurant (嘉義林聰明沙鍋魚頭) can receive one free Zhaoping beer (沼平櫻啤酒) if they place an order of NT$500 or more, or they can order two for the price of one.
A clock and watch shop in Tainan’s Yongkang District (永康) yesterday gave away 57 women’s watches because of Lin’s victory, with each costing NT$1,680. On Monday last week, the store gave away 50 watches after Lee Yang (李洋) and Wang Chi-ling (王齊麟) won a gold in the badminton men’s doubles.
Taipei 101 also displayed congratulatory remarks for Lin between 6:30pm and 10pm yesterday.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
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