TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwanese sprinter Chen Wen-pu (陳玟溥) claimed gold in the men's 100-meter final at the 114th National Games in Yunlin on Tuesday (Oct. 21), clocking an impressive 9.95 seconds. Chen's performance marked a significant milestone in his career as he became the first Taiwanese athlete to run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds.
Chen demonstrated his exceptional form this season by securing gold in both the men's 100 and 200 meters at the National Intercollegiate Athletic Games, shedding his "perennial runner-up" label. He reached a career-best time of 10.26 seconds in the 100-meter heats on Monday (Oct. 20), ranking as the fourth-fastest in Taiwanese history. His coach, Liu Li-yu (劉立宇), expected breakthrough performances, and praised Chen's efforts despite the record's unofficial status.
Liu revealed that Chen faced challenges after an Achilles tendon injury sidelined him from the previous National Games in Tainan. With encouragement, Chen set his sights on this year's games to make up for the missed opportunity. Liu noted Chen's improvement in start times, now competitive with elite sprinters, and emphasized ongoing training for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya.