TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwanese skater Chen Ying-chu (陳映竹) clinched a bronze medal in the women's 100-meter speed skating event at the Harbin Asian Winter Games on Saturday (Feb. 8), marking Taiwan's first-ever medal at the Games.
Chen, originally a roller skating champion with six world championship medals, transitioned to ice skating in 2023 to pursue her Olympic dreams. Her journey to the podium involved adapting to the faster pace of ice skating, a challenge she embraced with determination.
Prior to the Harbin Asian Winter Games, Chen competed in the Four Continents Championships, the World Cup in Nagano, and the World Cup in Beijing, which bolstered her confidence.
In Harbin, Chen competed in the 100-meter, 500-meter, and 1,000-meter speed skating events. Her 10.51-second finish in the 100-meter race secured her place in history as the first Taiwanese athlete to win a medal in the Asian Winter Games since Taiwan began participating in the second edition of the event in 1990.