HUALIEN (TVBS News) — After Taiwanese boxer Chen Nien-chin (陳念琴) from Guangfu Township's (光復鄉) Tafalong (太巴塱) village secured a bronze medal in women's boxing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the township chief, village chief, and tribal elders visited her home on Wednesday (Aug. 7) to celebrate and express their gratitude for her achievement.
Chen, of mixed Amis (阿美族) and Bunun (布農族) heritage, has an Amis father from Tafalong and a Bunun mother from Zhuoxi Township (卓溪鄉), Hualien County. Her grandmother shared that she prayed for her granddaughter before the match and didn't care about the ranking—she just hoped Chen wouldn't get hurt.
Chen moved to Matsu with her parents as a child. By the time she reached junior high school, she attended school in Taipei, and later trained in Hsinchu for boxing. Villagers noted that she returns to Tafalong for annual festivals and New Year celebrations. Upon hearing of her win, her family and friends gathered to set off firecrackers and post congratulatory banners.
Born in 1997, Chen participated in her third Olympics this year. She reached the round of 16 at the Rio Olympics and battled cancer while making it to the quarterfinals in Tokyo. Her resilience and optimism have not only inspired her hometown but also touched the entire nation.