TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The judo events at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will kick off on Saturday (July 27) Taiwan time. Yang Yung-wei (楊勇緯) and Lin Chen-hao (林真豪) will lead the charge, with Lien Chen-ling (連珍羚) set to compete next Monday (July 29).
Yang Yung-wei, who made a remarkable debut at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by winning silver—Taiwan's first Olympic judo medal—has continued to build on his success. Despite a challenging loss in the finals at the World Championships this May, Yang punched his ticket as the top seed in the men’s 60-kg category.
"I think being centered is important during training. However, when it comes to competitions, I believe a desire for winning is essential," said Yang. He will compete at 4 p.m. Taiwan time on July 27, with the goal of securing Taiwan’s first medal in the Games.
Lin Chen-hao will compete in the women’s 48kg category. Lin, a former elementary school classmate of Yang, finished 7th in her Olympic debut three years ago. "The last Olympics experience gave me a lot of confidence because it was my first time participating and my first time winning against so many people," said Lin. She is determined to bring out her best on the Olympic stage.
In addition to Yang and Lin, 36-year-old “Judo Queen” Lien Chen-ling will make her third Olympic appearance. Lien hopes to surpass her 5th-place finish in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Coach Liu Wen-teng (劉文等) shared that they had focused on observing opponents’ techniques. “Competitors come from various countries, and their skills are all impressive. We will continue to gather information, including intelligence, and focus on practice, strategies, and countermeasure techniques,” said Liu.
The three Taiwanese judo players are poised to bring their best to the Olympic stage, aiming to secure ultimate glory for Taiwan.
