PARIS (TVBS News) — Taiwan's artistic gymnast Tang Chia-hung (唐嘉鴻), dubbed "King of Cats," clinched a bronze medal in the men's horizontal bar final at the Olympics on Monday (Aug. 5), marking a significant milestone in his career and contributing to Taiwan's growing medal tally at the games.
Tang, the first to compete, fell early on in his routine but quickly remounted to complete it, earning a difficulty score of 6.500 and an execution score of 7.466. Due to errors by six of the eight competitors, he secured third place with a total score of 13.966 points.
After the event, Tang reflected on his journey, saying, "It is not easy to reach the finals. In fact, the outcome also proves that our team is heading in the right direction."
"To get a silver or gold medal requires more experience. I feel that my efforts, as well as the efforts of my coach and team, are worthy of this bronze medal. I will definitely compete in the Olympics again," he added.
Tang's comeback follows a challenging period, including a serious Achilles tendon rupture in February 2023 that jeopardized his career. However, with Coach Weng Shih-hang's (翁士航) guidance, Tang returned to peak form within seven months.
Coach Weng praised his perseverance, stating, "Looking back at what we've been through since his Achilles tendon injury, it itself is a miracle. That’s why I say this is the spirit of Taiwan. 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going.'"
Watching Tang endure ups and downs, his wife Tseng Ruo-yu (曾若語) highlighted his resilience, noting, "He has always been very optimistic. He may feel sad for a moment, but then he keeps on moving.”
Taiwanese athletes now boast one gold and three bronze medals. With female boxers Chen Nien-chin (陳念琴) and Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) advancing to the semifinals, the country is guaranteed at least six medals, second only to their Tokyo Olympics haul.