TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The 2025 Taiwan International Athletics Open is set to transform the Taipei Municipal Stadium (台北田徑場) into a hub of world-class competition on Saturday (June 7), drawing an impressive field of more than 670 athletes from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. The prestigious track and field event has attracted competitors representing 17 countries and territories, with particularly strong contingents from Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Australia, underscoring Taiwan's growing significance as a venue for international athletics competitions. Local organizers have spent months preparing the facilities to meet Olympic-standard requirements, anticipating that the two-day competition could produce several qualifying performances for upcoming global championships.
The competition's highest-profile international participant, Polish hammer throw legend Anita Wlodarczyk—whose world record of 82.98 meters has stood unchallenged since 2016 — returns to Taiwan for her third appearance, cementing her special relationship with the island's athletics community. The three-time Olympic gold medalist has taken a particular interest in mentoring Taiwanese rising star Yu Ya-chien (余雅倩), whom she describes as having exceptional technical potential. Wlodarczyk delighted local media at Thursday's pre-event press conference by delivering her opening remarks in carefully practiced Mandarin, a gesture that earned enthusiastic applause from the assembled journalists. The Polish champion revealed that her 2025 season began with a solid opening throw of 69.91 meters in early May, a performance she hopes to improve upon in Taipei's favorable conditions.
Yu, Taiwan's national record holder who recently claimed bronze at the Asian Athletics Championships in Singapore, spoke of the psychological boost provided by her podium finish and her eagerness to test herself against Wlodarczyk and other elite competitors. The 26-year-old athlete acknowledged experiencing some physical fatigue following an intensive training camp but remained resolute about her target of breaking the psychologically significant 70-meter barrier during the weekend competition. Yu joins fellow Taiwanese standouts Lin Yu-tang (林昱堂), a javelin specialist, and sprinter Chiang Ching-yuan (江靜緣) as part of the host nation's contingent that has already qualified for the 2026 Nagoya Asian Games (名古屋), Japan's first hosting of the continental multi-sport event since 1994. The trio views the Taiwan Open as a crucial benchmark in their long-term preparation for Asian championship success. ◼