TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwanese taekwondo athlete Xiao Xiang-wen (蕭翔文) clinched the bronze medal in the men's K44 58kg category at the Paralympics in Paris in the early hours of Friday (Aug. 30) Taiwan time, marking the first medal for the Taiwanese delegation.
Xiao defeated Spanish player Joel Martin Villalobos 16-8 in the bronze medal match.
Xiao, who suffered a brachial plexus injury to his right arm in a car accident before a national team selection, returned to the field as a Paralympic athlete. Xiao said, "Winning or losing is not the point; the spirit of an athlete is to support each other."
In the top four, Xiao lost to Israeli player Asaf Yasur (亞蘇爾), missing the chance to compete for the gold medal. However, Xiao expressed happiness about his bronze medal win, stating that although he did not achieve the expected gold medal, he was still very happy to win the bronze medal.
Xiao's journey to this achievement includes winning the gold medal in the men's K44 58kg category at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year. His sportsmanship shined during the quarterfinals against host player Bopha Kong, where Xiao helped Kong put on his mouthguard after it fell off.
The Taiwanese delegation celebrates Xiao's success, which exemplifies resilience and sportsmanship. Xiao's story inspires many, showing that setbacks can lead to remarkable comebacks.