TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's "gymnast genie" Ting Hua-tien (丁華恬) competed in the women's balance beam event at the Olympic Games early Monday (July 29) Taiwan time, but with a total score of 12.533 points, Ting ranked 50th, failing to advance to the finals.
Ting had planned a routine with a difficulty score of 5.9. However, she was deducted 5.0 points for failing to perform it perfectly, and received an execution score of 7.533, resulting in her final score.
Coach Tsai Heng-Cheng (蔡恆政) told the Central News Agency (CNA) that he had high expectations for Ting but noted that her first move did not go smoothly, affecting her subsequent performance and confidence.
Coach Tsai also mentioned that Ting had been training well and had considered increasing the difficulty of her routine. Ultimately, they decided to prioritize stability. Despite the less-than-ideal result, Tsai emphasized that the team gave their best effort, deserving recognition and encouragement.
Ting first appeared in the 2020 Olympics, marking the first time since the 1968 Olympics that Taiwan had a female gymnast in the Olympics. Competing again in 2024, Ting has now participated in two consecutive Olympic Games.
