2017 SU: Torch Relay continues E Part of LOVE Route

TAIPEI – The Taipei Universiade torch relay is now following a LOVE shaped route as it links 22 counties and cities across Chinese Taipei. The L, O and V parts of the torch relay were successfully completed. The third leg of the E part of the relay, linking Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City, Taoyuan City, New Taipei City and Keelung City, was held in Taoyuan City on 6 August.

Taoyuan City torch relay started with the Lion Dance

Taoyuan City is one of the main partners of Taipei Universiade 21 sports, nine will take place in the city, namely taekwondo at Taoyuan Arena, archery, swimming and water polo at National Taiwan Sport University, football at Chang Gung University, volleyball at the Army Academy and golf at Sunrise Golf & Country Club; Taoyuan City Athletic Field and Taoyuan City Swimming Pool are also athletics and swimming training venues. With the effort and assistance of Taoyuan City Government, the aforementioned seven venues have been renovated and are ready, and will provide excellent facilities for spectators, athletes and coaches.

Taipei City Deputy Mayor Ching-Ju Chen and Taoyuan City Mayor Wen-Tsan Cheng as torchbearers

The Taoyuan City torch relay ceremony took place at 9:30 am at Taoyuan Arena. Taipei Universiade Organizing Committee (TUOC) arranged for Taipei City Deputy Mayor Ching-Ju Chen to lead Taipei City’s delegation to attend the event. Taipei City’s torchbearer was Li-Ru Chen who won bronze in the archery women’s team event at the 2004 Athens Olympics and a gold medal at the 2009 Belgrade Universiade in the recurve bow women’s team event. A lion dance troupe led Li-Ru Chen into the venue where she passed the torch to Chin-Ju Chen, who then handed it to Taoyuan City Mayor Wen-Tsan Cheng and the city’s relay team. Chin-Ju Chen and Wen-Tsan Cheng also tried their hand at being torchbearers as they led the heads and representatives of 14 Taoyuan City Government bureaus departments in a short run around Taoyuan Area, experiencing the sacred mission of a torchbearer and supporting the Universiade with action. 

Taoyuan Pure-Youth Construction Basketball Team member, Qi-Wei Li, passing the torch at A18 Taoyuan HSR Station of the Taoyuan Airport MRT Line

The relay route connected two Universiade venues and two important local construction projects to market both Taipei Universiade and the city. The first and second stops were Taoyuan Arena and National Taiwan Sport University. The third stop was A18 Taoyuan HSR Station on the Taoyuan Airport MRT Line, a much-anticipated project that took years to complete and opened at last on March 2 this year; the fourth and last stop was Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium, a state of the art stadium that is one of the best in Chinese Taipei and is the first to have a main field and subsidiary field. The torchbearers were players from Taoyuan’s Pure-Youth Construction Basketball Team. The team was established eight years ago and, through ups and downs, has always shown fighting spirit. In October 2016, Taoyuan City signed a contract with the team to compete in the 14^th SBL as Taoyuan Pure-Youth Construction Basketball Team and the team came fifth in the regular season. The team selected popular players Jin-Bang Lin, Zi-Wei Chen, Qi-Wei Li and Jian-En Chen to serve as torchbearers; they were escorted by the players of Taoyuan Aerotropolis Baseball Team and to display the spirit of unity of Taoyuan City. The Taoyuan City torch relay was competed smoothly.

Taoyuan City torch relay in front of the Taoyuan Arena

(Source: OC Taipei 2017)