General News

Sports meet for the disabled held in Taichung City

Taipei, Nov. 8 (CNA) A sports meet for the disabled was held in Taichung City Sunday, with participants competing in track and field, archery, billiards, table tennis and swimming.

The event was organized by the Taichung Disabled Persons' Sports Federation with financial support from the city government.

Chen Yu-chiang, president of the sports federation and a member of the Taichung City Council, said at the opening ceremony it was the organization's first sports meet since it was established in March and that it plans to hold the event annually as a grand sports gathering for the disabled.

Taichung Mayor Jason Hu, who raised NT$1 million to fund the sports meet, said the city government set up the federation with the aim of encouraging mentally and physically challenged people to participate in sports. It was the first of its kind in the country to be established by a local government.

The city government has made a commitment to raise at least NT$1 million a year to help the federation organize other sports events, he said.

Sports meets for the disabled are high on the city government's list of priorities, Hu said, adding that the aim is to promote the event internationally and nurture world-class athletes who can compete in international competitions for the disabled.

Meanwhile, a delegation from Daegu City in South Korea will visit Taichung City in December for exchanges with the Taichung association.

The delegation will include disabled table players from the Korean city who will play friendly matches with local players, Chen added. (By Lee Hsi-chang and Y.L. Kao)

Additional Information

Country: Taiwan
Website: http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=171240&CtNode=39
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Source: MORI, Soya
When: 09/11/2009