The President wishes the athletes good luck, table tennis begins

President Tsai Ing-wen () wished Taiwanese Paralympic athletes good luck at the opening of the Paralympics in Tokyo on Tuesday night.

Tsai said on Facebook that he had tuned in to watch Taiwanese athletes take their place on the world stage.

Paralympic athletes have to overcome various physical challenges, whether it’s using a wheelchair or dentures, to test their limits as athletes, Tsai said.

This is the power of athletics that is available to everyone, he said.

Just as the name Paralympics comes from the Greek word para, which means going along or next to it, we can show that we stand alongside the physically disabled by watching and supporting the Paralympics, Tsai added.

The citizens ’parade at the opening was attended by 163 delegations led by the Paralympic Refugee Team and rounded according to the host country, Japan, while other teams arrived in the Japanese alphabetical order.

A delegation of ten Taiwanese athletes took 83rd place in the procession, with flags carried by long jumper Yang Chuan-hui and javelin thrower Liu Ya-ting.

Taiwan yesterday made a strong presentation on table tennis.

In the men’s singles, Cheng Ming-Chih won his Class 5 B match against Belgiums Bart Brands in 28 minutes. The brands tried to go back in the third game, but Cheng eventually won 11-4, 11-3, 12-14, 11-8. He will face Britains Jack Hunter Spivey today.

In the women’s singles, Tien Shiau-Wen took 13 minutes to beat Nigeria’s Faith Obazuayen in an 11-9, 11-3, 11-5 class 10, Group C match. He is playing Qian Yang of Australia today.

Serbias Borislava Peric Rankovic defeated Lu Pi-chun in his Class 4 B match 11-3, 11-9, 11-6. He faces Britains Susan Bailey today.

Australian Melissa Tapper won Lin Tzu-Yun in a 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 class 10 block B match.