TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The World Indoor Tug of War Championships held its opening ceremony at Taipei Arena on Thursday, drawing over 1,000 athletes and coaches to participate in the four-day event.
On the first day, in a remarkable show of strength, Taiwan won three gold, three silver, and three bronze medals, reported CNA. Over 140 teams from 14 countries and regions are in Taipei for the league and international level competitions.
The Chinese Taipei Tug of War Association is hosting the Tug of War International Federation tournament, with the indoor competition being held every two years. This is the first time the event has been hosted in the country, marking a major milestone for the sport in Taiwan.
In recent years, Taiwan has established a reputation as a formidable competitor at international tug of war events. This is partly due to the remarkable track record of the national women’s team, which holds six consecutive World Games titles and three consecutive World Championship titles.
Teams representing England, Italy, the US, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, as well as Hong Kong and the Basque region of Europe are in Taiwan this weekend to compete.
In the women’s 500 kilogram category, Taiwanese league teams swept the competition, winning gold, silver and bronze in the event. Another gold medal for Taiwan was in the 480 kg girls youth category where the globally recognized Jingmei Girls’ High School took the top spot.
The University of Taipei team also won a gold medal in the open competitions for the under-23 mixed 560 kg event and defended the title they won last year.
The first two days of the World Indoor Tug of War Championships are for league competitions and open events, while the international tournament will be held on Saturday and Sunday. For those interested in attending, tickets are available through KKTIX.
