Taiwan Relay Team at Paris Olympics Receives Praise, US Team Interested in Borrowing

The Paris Olympics this time planned 3 major relay stations, with the sports center in Levallois-Louvain city receiving praise from Taiwanese athletes. Minister of Sports Cheng Shizhong revealed that even the American team envies it, and in the future, they can borrow it when it’s vacant, “it can be considered a successful sports diplomacy in promoting Taiwan-US relations.”

To cater to Taiwanese athletes, the planning of this relay station at the Paris Olympics is divided into three main parts: the “Dining Apartment” providing hometown flavors for athletes, the “Sports Center” providing convenient training facilities for athletes, and a “Physical Therapy Center” to assist athletes in recovery after training or competition.

Former Minister of Education Zheng Yingyao previously revealed that by chance, she got to know the Mayor of Levallois-Louvain city, Agnes Pottier-Dumas, and thanked her and the city council for unanimously approving the free use of this sports center by Taiwan, thus solving the training problem for the athletes.

Taiwan Legislator Cai Qichang also played a role behind the scenes, connecting and recommending Qiaoshan Health Technology Company to sponsor and provide strength training equipment, as well as assisting in transporting and setting up, in Paris, to establish a “Taiwan Sports Center” for athletes to use.

Cheng Shizhong thanked Qiaoshan for their full support, including providing talents, equipment, layout planning, transport, thus enabling the establishment of a well-equipped strength training room and training facilities in the municipal sports center in Levallois-Louvain city. They even assisted in public diplomacy by donating a set of strength training equipment to the municipal sports center in Levallois-Louvain city.

Cheng Shizhong also revealed that the American team training in the same sports center, upon seeing the new equipment used by Taiwanese athletes, were very impressed and inquired about borrowing it in their spare time. After obtaining permission, it was also made available to the American team, which can be seen as a successful sports diplomacy in promoting Taiwan-US relations.

Cheng Shizhong emphasized that the athletes’ performance on the field cannot be controlled as it purely reflects their normal training results. What can be done is to ensure good logistics support. The construction of a high-standard relay station this time is aimed at turning it into a miniature national training center and sports science center in Paris.

(Transferred from Central News Agency)