Challenging Sports

Visually impaired javelin thrower Chiang Chih-chung receives instruction from his coach, Cheng Shou-chi. (Photo by Chang Su-ching)

Publication Date：06/01/2008
Byline：KELLY HER

Taiwanese athletes with disabilities are turning in stellar performances for themselves and their country.

It was a glorious, unforgettable moment for Taiwanese athlete Chiang Chih-chung as he stepped up to receive the gold medal in the men's javelin competition at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. Chiang's dramatic throw of 57.28 meters in the event had broken the world record for a disabled athlete. His visual impairment meant that he could barely make out the flag for the Chinese Taipei Paralympic Committee as it was formally raised, but he could hear Taiwan's national banner song playing and spectators in the crowd calling out the name "Chinese Taipei" as tears welled in his eyes.

"At that time, I thought about my training and felt all the hardships had paid off. Plus, I could make good on my promise of buying a computer for my younger brother and sister," Chiang says. "I was thankful for all of the support that I'd received along the way, in particular, from my coach. Without him, I couldn't have come this far."

Chiang, a Bunun aboriginal athlete from Kaohsuing County in southern Taiwan, was not born with eye problems, but developed a visual impairment in his youth. His father died when he was in fourth grade and the young Chiang had to help his mother perform odd jobs at a construction site after school. One time while at work, cement residue and sweat got into his eyes, causing an inflammation. He used eye drops to relieve the pain, but did not see a doctor for the problem.

The inflammation turned serious and gradually his eyesight weakened. By the time he was in high school, he was diagnosed with near-total vision loss. He fell into despair and began to think that the only job he would be able to do in the future was massage. It was not until he met his coach, Cheng Shou-chi, at a national athletics meet, that Chiang's passion for sport, and then his passion for life, really came alive. He decided to pursue a sports career not only out of his love of sport, but more importantly as a way to help improve his family's financial situation.

For his part, coach Cheng, a physical education instructor from Taipei's Chinese Culture University (CCU), saw great potential in Chiang's abilities. He volunteered to train the young man in track and field after Chiang's graduation from high school. He even invited Chiang to live with his family and helped him enroll in CCU and apply for grants so that the young athlete could receive professional training without worrying about how to earn a livelihood.

"What impresses me about Chiang is his fortitude and strong will to win. He always practices more than just the training I assign to him," Cheng says. "I treat him like my son and he believes in me."

"We can talk about anything," Cheng continues. "I think it's this kind of good interaction that keeps him going steady and I take pleasure and pride in seeing his development."

The coach surely can be proud of Chiang's achievements. Following his success at Sydney in 2000, Chiang again broke the world--that is to say his own--record with a javelin throw of 59.38 meters to clinch the gold at the 2004 Athens Paralympics. Then, at the 2007 International Blind Sports Federation World Championships and Games in Brazil, he took the gold in javelin, silver in discus and bronze in shot put. So far, Chiang has secured no fewer than seven gold medals at international competitions.

Against the Odds

Liu Pei-ling, secretary-general of the Chinese Taipei Paralympic Committee, is rightly proud of the overall performance of the nation's disabled athletes at world-class sporting events. Taiwan's representatives have been particularly strong in judo, powerlifting, shooting, table tennis and track and field. Last year alone, for instance, they garnered a total of 59 golds, 42 silvers and 35 bronzes at international sporting meets.

"The accomplishments of Taiwan's disabled athletes in the international arena have helped boost Taiwan's national image and visibility," Liu says. "Their contributions deserve more recognition."

Liu says it requires a lot more effort for physically and mentally challenged people to hone their sporting skills than for non-disabled people, and that is on top of the everyday difficulties they face simply getting around. In addition, there is less specialized training and less funding available compared with that for non-disabled athletes.

Currently, there are around 2,000 athletes with disabilities in Taiwan with an average age of 40--relatively old by the standards of competitive sports and another disadvantage in most fields. Most of them, Liu says, wait until they have established some financial security to pursue their sport and even then they must still work to earn a living and can train only in their spare time.

Competitive shooter Liu Wen-chang is coached by Kao Jiun-shan, who volunteers his time to train Liu. (Photo by Chang Su-ching)

Moreover, they face limited options when it comes to suitable places to practice as Taiwan lacks a comprehensive facility for disabled athletes from different sports to gather for intensive training. That means disabled athletes must spend time and money finding suitable training venues and pay any usage fees out of their own pockets. Also, domestic enterprises are only lukewarm about sponsoring disabled sports, according to Liu, which contributes to the funding problems.

Given the somewhat unfavorable environment in which they must operate, the marvelous results Taiwan's disabled athletes produce seem even more exceptional. The dedication of individual coaches is touted as a big part of that success. "I'm touched by the many coaches that devote their time, energy and even money to training athletes with disabilities. They not only offer professional instruction, but also help take care of the athletes' daily lives," Liu says. "They're the major force behind the development of the island's disabled sports."

There are a few schools, including CCU, Tainan's Chang Jung Christian University and the National Taichung School for the Visually Impaired, that have helped promote disabled sports by providing talented athletes with free training and grants, Liu says. Additionally, the Sports Affairs Council (SAC) does provide important support for domestic sportsmen and sportswomen by financing participation in international events and offering incentives for winning medals.

One issue, however, is the substantial difference in prize money awarded to disabled and non-disabled medalists. For example, a gold-medal winner at the Paralympics may receive an award of NT$2.4 million (US$78,000) from the council, compared with NT$12 million (US$393,000) for gold at the Olympics. The Paralympic committee's Liu hopes the government can revise regulations in order to narrow the gap in prize monies. What is more, he hopes authorities can provide more work opportunities for retired athletes, for example coaching positions in schools, to encourage more disabled people to engage in professional sports.

Taking Aim

Competitive shooter Liu Wen-chang, 44, exemplifies both the rewards and difficulties of competition for disabled athletes. Liu has been confined to a wheelchair since childhood after contracting poliomyelitis, but in recent years he has found a new lease on life and shown great determination in the pursuit of his chosen sport.

"I didn't really have the chance to participate in sports at school. In those days I seldom even went out because the way people stared at me made me feel uneasy and sometimes hurt," Liu Wen-chang says. "But now I go out every day, mainly to practice shooting regardless of the weather, traffic or difficulty of moving about."

"Now when people look at me, I think perhaps it's because they admire me or think I'm handsome," he says.

His self-confidence and positive thinking have been built upon his good performance in shooting. He has been to some 20 countries to participate in international sports competitions and thus far has won five gold, one silver and one bronze medal.

Twelve years ago, out of curiosity, Liu Wen-chang attended a shooting program organized by the Paralympic committee. From there he developed an interest in the sport, which has since become an important part of his life. At first, he says, he had to borrow guns from the Paralympic committee or from schools with shooting programs and was constantly on the lookout for suitable places to practice. "One training site was located on the second floor. Besides having to ask someone to help me carry my wheelchair upstairs, I myself had to crawl up the stairs, dragging myself step-by-step," he recalls. "That did make me feel hurt, physically and emotionally."

It was not until the last few years that he has been able to procure his own equipment, including advanced guns, a custom-made leather jacket and customized shooting gloves. Added to this has been finding a permanent practice venue at the Taipei Nangang Sports Center, all of which has allowed him to make significant progress in his sport. The marksman is especially thankful for his coach, Kao Jiun-shan, who not only volunteers his time to train Liu Wen-chang, but also works at the sports center in the afternoons in exchange for his pupil being allowed to use the site for free.

Liu Wen-chang says he is also grateful for the government's public welfare lottery, which creates work opportunities for the disabled by allowing them to sell lottery tickets. Operating his lottery store, he says, enables him to earn a livelihood and gives him flexibility in managing his time. He usually works in the morning and asks one of his relatives to help take care of the business in the afternoon while he goes to train.

Liu Wen-chang expects the new sports lottery, which was slated to start in early May, to yield handsome revenues. He hopes some of this money can be used to promote disabled sports across the island via improved facilities and funding to cultivate talented players and coaches.

"I'm willing to put aside work and spend so much time training because of the honor and sense of achievement that I feel when I perform well at a sports event," he says. "Apart from working to raise my family, now I have more aggressive goals in my life--trying to outperform myself at every contest and win the top awards to help enhance Taiwan's international visibility. These ideals propel me to figure out ways to overcome difficulties and move forward."

It is hoped that more government funding and other incentives can be offered to promote disabled sports. (Photo by Chang Su-ching)

On another front, Taiwan has been active in bidding for international sporting events for those with disabilities. For example, in 2007, Taiwan hosted the World Wheelchair and Amputee Games and the World Deaf Swimming Championships.

Liu Pei-ling of Taiwan's Paralympic committee says the island has hosted seven international sporting competitions for disabled athletes so far. These kinds of events help to raise public awareness about disabled sports as well as put Taiwan in the spotlight on the world stage. Plus, various endeavors to build an obstacle-free environment for athletes such as more wheelchair-access ramps at buildings and more public buses with wheelchair lifts have been a welcome consequence of the process.

Positive Feedback

Chao Yu-ping, secretary-general of the Chinese Taipei Sports Association of the Deaf, says in the last few years, his organization has worked to hold several large-scale competitions to promote deaf and disabled sports. For example, the Asia Pacific Deaf Games that the association hosted in Taipei in 2000 attracted the participation of nearly 1,000 athletes from 23 countries and received so much positive feedback that the group was encouraged to continue bidding for such events.

Consequently, in 2003, Chao's association drew on this rich experience to make a strong bid for the Deaflympics, eventually beating out rival Athens, Greece and winning the right to host the games in Taipei in 2009. That, Chao says, will mark the first time the Deaflympics will take place in Asia since the games' debut in 1924 and gives Taiwan a chance to organize an Olympic-level international competition. It will also be one of the biggest international sports events Taiwan has hosted to date, with more than 3,600 athletes from some 80 countries expected to compete at the 2009 games.

To prepare for the event, the Foundation of the 21st Summer Deaflympics Organizing Committee was established in April 2006. Chen Chih-ho, president of the foundation, says his group has been working with local governments, the SAC, other government agencies and local manufacturers to upgrade or build facilities at the selected sports venues. An example is the ongoing work with local manufacturers to develop a sophisticated signaling system for deaf athletes, which will include a lighting system to signal the start of races and other events.

Chen says there is a new NT$250 million (US$8.3 million) stadium currently under construction adjacent to Taipei Arena and slated for completion in April 2009. The project's design has been certified by the International Association of Athletics Federations--the world governing body for track and field--and the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Also, four grounds for playing soccer and another for beach volleyball are being built in parkland along Taipei's riverside areas.

"These are obstacle-free facilities that meet international standards. Not only will they enable us to do a good job organizing the 2009 Deaflympics, they'll also increase Taiwan's success in bidding for international games in the years ahead," Chen says. "More importantly, they can be used by disabled and non-disabled people in the years to come."

Another important task for the foundation is to recruit approximately 3,000 volunteers that know sign language to help cope with the influx of athletes and give assistance during the games. Accordingly, the foundation has introduced sign language courses ranging from basic to advanced levels to help meet the expected demand. Chen says he also hopes that the sports council, for its part, can provide local athletes with more subsidies so that they can concentrate on preparing for the games. Such support could reap a big payoff on the field.

At the 20th Deaflympics in Melbourne, Australia in 2005, Taiwan's team won a record 16 medals--nine golds, four silvers and three bronzes--earning Taiwan fifth place out of 78 participating nations. This was up from the team's 24th place at the 19th Deaflympics held in Rome in 2001. The Taiwanese team in 2009 will consist of 260 athletes and Chen says bowling, table tennis and swimming are the most promising sports for Taiwan to win medals in.

"For a long time, Taiwan has met with extreme difficulties in joining international organizations and gaining the right to host international events. We are hopeful that hosting the 2009 Deaflympics can help Taiwan be better known internationally and consequently facilitate its entry into the United Nations and other organizations," Chen says. "We'll also be striving to earn more gold medals for Taiwan."

Holding this event, the Chinese Taipei Sports Association's Chao adds, will also boost the morale of Taiwan's deaf athletes and be a great motivation for them to train hard and push themselves further. In addition to an award of NT$750,000 (US$25,000) for any athlete winning a gold medal, victory at the games also offers admission to tertiary-level education programs or a school coaching position.

For disabled athletes themselves, competitive shooter Liu Wen-chang suggests some of the special meaning that participation in such international competitions holds. "I used to have a strong sense of inferiority due to my paralysis, but I've been able to rebuild confidence in myself bit by bit through winning at sports events," he says.

Write to Kelly Her at kelly@mail.gio.gov.tw