Harimoto honors Taiwan’s Chuang with handshake, deep bow

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Chuang Chih-yuan (莊智淵), known as the "godfather" of Taiwan's table tennis, played his final Olympic match in the men's team quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics (Aug. 7). The 43-year-old led Taiwan against Japan, ultimately losing 1-3 and missing the semifinals.

During the match, Japan's Harimoto Tomokazu (張本智和) honored Chuang with a handshake and a deep bow. Chuang expressed disappointment, stating that he overestimated Harimoto's power and spin, and didn't handle the ball well.

Chuang and his protégé Kao Cheng-jui (高承睿) faced Togami Shunsuke (戶上隼輔) and Shinozuka Hiroto (篠塚大登) in doubles, losing 7-11, 5-11, 9-11. Lin Yun-ju (林昀儒) battled Harimoto in singles, securing a narrow victory with scores of 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 3-11, 11-6.

Kao then lost to Togami in singles, 5-11, 7-11, 5-11. In the decisive match, Chuang faced Harimoto, falling 7-11, 8-11, 9-11, leading to Taiwan's 1-3 defeat. This result mirrors Taiwan's performance at the Tokyo Olympics, where the team also exited in the quarterfinals.

Chuang began representing Taiwan at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games and made his Olympic debut at the 2004 Athens Olympics, competing in six consecutive Games. He described his near-bronze match against Germany's Dimitrij Ovtcharov at the 2012 London Olympics as a "turning point in life."

Fans and teammates will undoubtedly remember Chuang's dedication and contributions to Taiwanese table tennis. The sport now looks to the future, with emerging talents poised to carry the legacy forward.