Olympic taekwondo competitor Su Li-wen (蘇麗文) was lauded yesterday by fans and politicians across party lines for her display of perseverence on the Olympic floor on Thursday.
Su, 27, aggravated an old injury to her left knee in her 1-0 first round defeat to South Korea’s Lim Su-jeong.
She tied with Croatia’s Martina Zubcic 4-4 after the first three rounds of the bronze medal match, but was defeated after losing a decisive point in the fourth round.
During the match, Su continued fighting until the end — despite falling to the mat 11 times in visible pain — as she had in previous competitions.
Her perseverance earned her rounds of applause and cheers from spectators in Beijing, as well as from members of the international press.
Su was carried from the mat by her coach after her defeat and was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment.
Going into the Olympics, Su, champion of the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok and the 2008 Asian Taekwondo Championship, was described by Sports Illustrated as Taiwan’s only plausible chance of winning a gold medal in Beijing.
It was Su’s first Olympics.
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) called Su yesterday morning to express his admiration for the courage and perseverance she demonstrated, saying she had moved the people of Taiwan.
“President Ma was also deeply moved by Su Li-wen’s fighting spirit. Her display of sportsmanship during the matches makes us even prouder than grabbing a gold medal,” Presidential Office spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) quoted Ma as saying yesterday.
Ma later phoned Su’s parents to congratulate them on their daughter’s brave performance in Beijing, Wang said.
Ma also called taekwondo bronze medallist Sung Yu-chi (宋玉麒) to congratulate him on his performance, Wang said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators filed a request with the Cabinet yesterday, asking the government to bestow an honor on Su for her “remarkable performance” in Beijing.
DPP legislators Hsueh Ling (薛凌) and Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) said in a joint press release that Su should be included in elementary school textbooks.
“Although Su didn’t win a medal in the competition, her tough will to fight to the last second has inspired many,” the press release said.
“Even the Chinese press praised her for winning respect even though she lost the game,” the lawmakers said.
Hsueh and Chai suggested that the government reward Su for her performance with a life-time monthly check, special priority for government positions and discounts on utility bills.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and