Mayor Chu inspired the city’s athletes for International Children’s games
In the afternoon of 9/11/2013, Mayor Chu greeted the 16 New Taipei City’s representatives who returned home with 6 golden medals, 5 silver medals and 9 bronze medals in this year’s 47th International Children’s Games, and he encouraged them not to show off or get discouraged as well as to keep making efforts in sports.
Chu said that this was the second time for the city to participate in the International Children’s Games, and the team returned with a total of 20 medals. Comparing to last year, this year’s result was greatly progressive, and this was the New Taipei City’s pride. He encouraged that all the young athletes could keep fostering their skills to not only attend the International Children’s Games but also the World University Games, or even the Olympics for Taiwan.
Chu said that it was a very pleasant thing to engage in international games for the athletes because they could not only improve their skills by interacting with other countries’ athletes, but also they could expand their views and make new friends. This year’s International Children’s Games gathered youth athletes from 37 countries, and the 16 New Taipei City athletes not only represented the New Taipei City, but also were diplomatic representatives for Taiwan. He hoped they could seize the chance to interact and grow.
One thing to noted, the athletes were originally supposed to wear the official costumes; however, they had already exchanged the costumes with athletes from other countries, which showed that the city’s athletes not only caring about competing but also loving to make many new friends.
The Education Department indicated that the 2013 International Children’s Games ran from 8/12/2013 to 8/21/2013 in Windsor, Canada with a total participation of 37 countries, 82 cities and 1500 youth athletes ranging from 13 years old to 15 years gold. The 16 New Taipei City’s representatives would compete with athletes from other countries in the fields such as swimming, track and field, gymnastics and tennis.
Zhu Wencheng, a student from the New Taipei Municipal Ground Rong Junior High School, won a gold medal for 400 meters men’s relay games this time. He wanted to share his feelings that initially in a nervous and excited mood to attend this year’s games, as time progressed, he felt a totally different culture of Canada and saw many beautiful views as well as knowing many athletes all over the world afterwards. Now he understood the meaning of “he that travels far knows much.”
The Education Department said that the team consisted of the top 3 athletes in 2013 National High School Athletic Games, and their performance was very outstanding. For swimming, the team won 4 golden medals, including the three from Xu Hanpeng for 50 meters, 100 meters and 200 meters breast stroke as well as the one from Wen Renhao for 200 meters medley swimming; in addition, Chen Taiwei won a golden medal for pommel horse and Chen-Xi Jiawei, Zhu Wencheng, Shen Yusen and Zhu Hongzhi together won a golden medal for the 400 meters men’s relay.
