PINGTUNG (TVBS News) — Pingtung County Magistrate Rice Chou (周春米) announced Friday (Sept. 27) the inaugural "Pingtung County Indigenous Peoples Games" (屏東縣原住民族運動會), aimed at showcasing the talents and energy of Indigenous athletes. Scheduled for Oct. 5-6, the event will feature diverse competitions.
Chou stated that the recent Olympics highlighted the brilliance of Indigenous athletes on the global stage. Chou emphasized the importance of providing a platform for Indigenous athletes, noting that the Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP, 原住民族委員會) will invest NT$200 million to nurture these talents.
The games will include 20 events, divided into general and traditional categories. General competitions will feature track and field, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, basketball, baseball, weightlifting, croquet, 5-a-side soccer, and slow-pitch softball.
Traditional events include archery, music and dance, road running, weight carrying, wrestling, tug-of-war, boat racing, net casting, wood sawing, and hunting. CIP reported that 2,500 athletes have registered to compete in these events.
Moreover, Olympic boxer Lai Chu-en (賴主恩) will be the opening ceremony's torchbearer.