TAITUNG, Taiwan — Taitung County's magistrate formally presented the county flag to the team's head coach on Monday (March 17), offering words of encouragement and high expectations in a spirited ceremony that underscored the growing prominence of Indigenous sports in Taiwan. The eastern coastal county is dispatching an unprecedented delegation to the National Indigenous Games 2025 (全國原住民族運動會), with officials expressing hope that the athletes will not only compete successfully but also serve as cultural ambassadors for the region's rich Indigenous heritage.
When the games commence this Friday in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, Taitung County will be represented by an impressive contingent of 780 participants competing in 18 diverse sporting categories. Among the delegation's most celebrated members is Kuo Hsing-chun (郭婞淳), the internationally acclaimed female weightlifter whose presence adds star power to the county's roster. During the send-off ceremony, Taitung County Magistrate Yao Ching-ling (饒慶鈴) stressed the significance of this biennial gathering as a vital platform for showcasing the county's substantial Indigenous communities and elevating public understanding of traditional athletic practices.
According to officials from the Taitung County Education Department (教育處), the county's athletes have prepared intensively for competitions spanning conventional Olympic disciplines such as track and field, judo, and taekwondo, alongside traditional Indigenous sports. Education officials highlighted that this year's record-breaking participation numbers represent a historic milestone, demonstrating Taiwan's growing investment in preserving and celebrating Indigenous cultural expressions through athletic competition. As the opening ceremony approaches, Taitung's unprecedented representation stands as testament to the county's ongoing commitment to nurturing both Indigenous cultural identity and sporting excellence on the national stage.