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Home News 2017 SU: The 4th stop of the E part of Torch Relay route was at Sandiaojiao Lighthouse

2017 SU: The 4th stop of the E part of Torch Relay route was at Sandiaojiao Lighthouse

Summer Games 8 August 2017

 

NEW 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 E part of the torch relay began in Hsinchu County on 4 August, moving on to Hsinchu City, Taoyuan City and then, the fourth stop in New Taipei City, on 7 August. 

 

Taipei City Deputy Mayor Chia-Chi Teng helped lighting up the torch and passed to New Taipei City Deputy Mayor You-Yi Hou at Sandiaojiao Lighthouse

The sacred flame handover ceremony was held at Sandiaojiao Lighthouse at 9:15 am on 7 August. It began with a rousing drum performance, Drums Welcoming the Sunlight, by the Gongliao Junior High School Drum Group. Attaching a lot of importance to this stage of the relay, Taipei Universiade Organizing Committee (TUOC) arranged for Taipei City Deputy Mayor Chia-Chi Teng to lead Taipei City’s torchbearer Xue-Li Xu on behalf of Taipei City Mayor Wen-Je Ko as she handed the torch, representing Love and Peace, over to You-Yi Hou New Taipei City by Deputy Mayor. Xue-Li Xu is currently a Grade A national tennis coach and a gold medal winner in the women’s tennis team event at the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998 and also in the women’s tennis event at the 1997 Sicily Universiade. With her previous sporting success at major events, including Universiades, she made an ideal choice as torchbearer for Taipei Universiade.

 

Qian-Ying Lei, bronze medallist women’s archery at 2016 Rio Olympics

The torch was received on behalf of New Taipei City by Deputy Mayor You-Yi Hou, who then passed the torch to New Taipei City’s first torchbearer, Qian-Ying Lei. Lei (nickname the Mother of Thunder) will be a member of the Chinese Taipei Archery Team for Taipei 2017 Universiade, she is an excellent archer and a New Taipei City native. Lei won a Bronze medal at 2016 Rio Olympics and three world cup gold medals in succession. She’s already a well-known veteran on the field. Lei was first selected to join Chinese Taipei Archery Team for the Universiade back in 2009. After winning the Bronze medal in Universiade 2011, this year, will be her 4th time to represent her nation to take part in and compete in the Universiade. She said Taipei 2017 Universiade is going to be her last time to participate in this grand event. “Being able to compete with all those great young athletes in my home country, it’s a huge pressure but also a great honor. I hope I can adjust my body well and give the best performance. I will certainly enjoy the game, meanwhile, trying to keep that gold medal in Taipei. I will continue my fight on the archery field. Tokyo 2020 Olympics is my ultimate goal.”

 

Deputy Mayor Chia-chi Teng said that Taipei Universiade venues are spread across four other cities and one county apart from Taipei City, namely New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County. For its part, New Taipei City will provide seven excellent venues for the Universiade as well as the Athletes’ Village. To meet FISU requirements, New Taipei City Government has diligently carried out renovation. He expressed deep gratitude to New Taipei City on behalf of Taipei City Mayor Ko for its enthusiastic support for the Universiade, and for providing such high-quality venues. Teng said he believes that cooperation between the two cities will give competitors and coaches the best competition experience.

 

Deputy Mayor You-Yi Hou stated, it’s only 12 days left until the grand opening for Taipei 2017 Universiade. Not only did New Taipei City provide the largest quantity of venues to support this year’s Universiade, it is also where the Athletes’ Village is located. Other than the hardware facilities and equipment update, New Taipei City Government also put in more than 2,000 staffs/work forces to support the games. The Athletes’ Village will open on 12 August. As well as meeting the accommodation and dining needs of athletes, New Taipei City Government has also formulated security, fire, transport, hygiene and medical care plans and measures, and has set up a fitness center and religious center at Linkou Junior High School where athletes can adjust their minds and bodies and relieve the stress of competition. “New Taipei City is ready for this historical moment! We will do everything we can to support Taipei 2017 Universiade and with it every success. We also want to invite New Taipei City citizens to go watch the games and cheer for athletes from around the world.”

 

New Taipei City torch relay started from the Sandiaojiao Lighthouse

Sandiaojiao Lighthouse was the starting point of the relay. The route passed along the Coastal Highway in the Northeast Coast Scenic Area and ended at Maoao Fulian Elementary School, one of the best diving spots in Chinese Taipei, after a 3.1 kilometers long relay. The Northeast Coast Scenic Area is one of the top six popular scenic spots in New Taipei City. Sandiaojiao Lighthouse, on the easternmost cape of the island, is a popular attraction in the scenic area. The Chinese name Sandiaojiao is based on the name “Santiago” given to the cape by the Spanish in 1626. As an important beacon for ships sailing in the seas off the northeast coast, Sandiaojiao Lighthouse is regarded as “the eyes of Taipei”. The stretch of highway from the lighthouse to Fulian Elementary School offers stunning sea-meets-sky and mountain scenery. New Taipei City torchbearers were Qian-Ying Lei, who won a bronze medal in the women’s team archery at the 2016 Rio Olympics and is a member of the Chinese Taipei archery team for Taipei 2017 Universiade, and outstanding members of New Taipei City Adult Baseball Team- Yu-Xiang Chen, Yu-Xiang Huang, Zhi-Hao Xie, Yao-Jun Li and Hong-De Lin. The team was set up in 2009 to promote the development of baseball and was formally named New Taipei City Adult Baseball Team in 2010. The current head coach is Zheng-Xiong Zhou, who is a tireless promoter of the sport of baseball.

 

Taipei City’s torchbearer Xue-Li Xu (Gold medal winner women’s tennis team event at 1998 Bangkok Asian Games) carrying the torch at Sandiaojiao Lighthouse

 

(Source: OC Taipei 2017)