Sport in Taiwan
Encyclopedia
Sports are a popular recreation activity in Taiwan
, officially known as the Republic of China
. Some of the most common sports include basketball
, baseball
, soccer and softball
. Martial arts
such as t'ai chi ch'uan and taekwondo
is also practiced by many people. The most popular spectator sport is baseball. It is commonly considered the national sport
in Taiwan. Due to political reasons
and pressures from the People's Republic of China
, the organisations or national teams from Taiwan have been competing as Chinese Taipei
in international sporting events, such as the Olympic Games
.
. It is the most popular spectator sport in Taiwan. The professional baseball
league is the Chinese Professional Baseball League
(CPBL), and the main playoff competition is the Taiwan Series
. Taiwan has been "exporting" baseball talents to Japan
and United States
over the past few decades, such as Tai-Yuan Kuo
(Taigen Kaku) to the Seibu Lions
and Chien-Ming Wang
to the Washington Nationals
. The Chinese Taipei baseball team
is currently the fifth ranked baseball team in the world.
(SBL) and the Women's Super Basketball League
(WSBL), respectively. The Chinese Taipei women's national basketball team
won the silver medal in the 2006 Asian Games
.
made football popular in Japan) and American influence, football has not been as popular as baseball or basketball in Taiwan, although it has a history of success at the Asian level. Football is run by the Chinese Taipei Football Association
(CTFA), which in turn runs the national teams for men
and women
and several domestic competitions.
The top league of football, the Intercity Football League
, is relatively semi-professional and dominated by two teams, Tatung F.C.
from Taipei
and Taipower F.C. from Kaohsiung
. As an incentive, the Asian Football Confederation
runs the AFC President's Cup
continental club competition for countries where football is relatively undeveloped, and these two clubs often take turns representing Taiwan in it.
There are many amateur football clubs run by foreign expatriates within Taiwan, but they run their own amateur competitions. An example is 100 Pacers F.C. in Kaohsiung
. At youth level, there are Highschool Football League
, National Youth Cup
, and football program in the National High School Games
.
has been particularly successful.
holds the Enterprise Volleyball League
every year. It is a men's amateur volleyball league. In total 4 teams participated in the 2008 season.
card. After a period of decline, Golf has become increasingly popular in Taiwan. Yani Tseng
(曾雅妮) was the 2008 LPGA
Rookie of the Year. On 1 August 2010 she became the youngest woman to win three Majors
.
(盧彥勳) and Wang Yeu-Tzuoo (王宇佐) has been ranked Top 100 (Lu's highest rank is no. 33 in July 2010, and Wang's was 85 in March 2006). Both of them set records for Taiwanese tennis history. As of the female, before the new generation that included Chan Yung-jan
(詹詠然), Chuang Chia-jung
(莊佳容) and Hsieh Su-wei
(謝淑薇) rose, Wang Shi-ting
(王思婷) was the most well-known tennis player in Taiwan. Wang Shi-ting
was ranked No. 26 in 1993.
(陳詩欣) and Chu Mu-yen
(朱木炎) won the first two Gold Metals for Taiwan.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, officially known as the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
. Some of the most common sports include basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, soccer and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
. Martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
such as t'ai chi ch'uan and taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
is also practiced by many people. The most popular spectator sport is baseball. It is commonly considered the national sport
National sport
A national sport or national pastime is a sport or game that is considered to be an intrinsic part of the culture of a nation. Some sports are de facto national sports, as baseball is in the U.S., while others are de jure as lacrosse and ice hockey are in Canada.-De jure national sports:-De facto...
in Taiwan. Due to political reasons
Political status of Taiwan
The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu should remain effectively independent as territory of the Republic of China , become unified with the territories now governed by the People's Republic of China , or formally declare...
and pressures from the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, the organisations or national teams from Taiwan have been competing as Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei
Chinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some international organizations and almost all sporting events, such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games and Asian Para Games...
in international sporting events, such as the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
Baseball
Baseball was first introduced during Japanese ruleTaiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
. It is the most popular spectator sport in Taiwan. The professional baseball
Professional baseball in Taiwan
Professional baseball in Taiwan started with the founding of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in 1989. At its 1997 peak, Taiwan had two leagues and 11 professional teams...
league is the Chinese Professional Baseball League
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Chinese Professional Baseball League , or CPBL, is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2003...
(CPBL), and the main playoff competition is the Taiwan Series
Taiwan Series
Taiwan Series is the championship series of the Chinese Professional Baseball League. It is usually played in October, after the regular season. It was formerly known as the CPBL Seasonal Championship Series , and was renamed the Taiwan Series after the merger of the Chinese Professional Baseball...
. Taiwan has been "exporting" baseball talents to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
over the past few decades, such as Tai-Yuan Kuo
Tai-Yuan Kuo
Kuo Tai-yuan, ; , born March 20, 1962), is a retired Taiwanese NPB baseball pitcher and currently a baseball coach. With 117 wins accumulated during his 13 seasons in the Seibu Lions, Kuo set the record of being the international player who achieves most wins in the NPB history, and is widely...
(Taigen Kaku) to the Seibu Lions
Seibu Lions
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based west of Tokyo in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Before 1979, they were based in Fukuoka in Kyushu. The team is owned by a subsidiary of Prince Hotels, which in turn is owned by the Seibu Group...
and Chien-Ming Wang
Chien-Ming Wang
Chien-Ming Wang is a Taiwanese Major League Baseball pitcher. He was initially signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees for the 2000 season, and played for the Staten Island Yankees...
to the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. The Chinese Taipei baseball team
Chinese Taipei baseball team
The Chinese Taipei baseball team , is the national team of the Republic of China . It is governed by the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association. They are generally recognized as one of the elite national baseball teams. They are currently the fifth ranked baseball team in the world, just behind South...
is currently the fifth ranked baseball team in the world.
Basketball
Basketball is the most popular ball sport in Taiwan that people actually play. The men's and women's basketball leagues are the Super Basketball LeagueSuper Basketball League
The Super Basketball League , often abbreviated to the SBL, is the pre-eminent men's semi-professional basketball league in Taiwan. It was founded in 2003 and considered by many as the successor organization to the short-lived Chinese Basketball Alliance , a men's professional basketball league...
(SBL) and the Women's Super Basketball League
Super Basketball League
The Super Basketball League , often abbreviated to the SBL, is the pre-eminent men's semi-professional basketball league in Taiwan. It was founded in 2003 and considered by many as the successor organization to the short-lived Chinese Basketball Alliance , a men's professional basketball league...
(WSBL), respectively. The Chinese Taipei women's national basketball team
Chinese Taipei women's national basketball team
Chinese Taipei women's national basketball team is a national women's basketball team of Chinese Taipei ....
won the silver medal in the 2006 Asian Games
2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...
.
Football
Due to Japanese (long before the J. LeagueJ. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
made football popular in Japan) and American influence, football has not been as popular as baseball or basketball in Taiwan, although it has a history of success at the Asian level. Football is run by the Chinese Taipei Football Association
Chinese Taipei Football Association
Chinese Taipei Football Association is the governing body of football in the Republic of China. Its official name in Chinese is the Football Association of the Republic of China, but it is billed as the Chinese Taipei FA abroad and uses the English initials on its badge .- History :* 1936:...
(CTFA), which in turn runs the national teams for men
Chinese Taipei national football team
The Chinese Taipei national football team is the official name given by FIFA to the national association football team of the Republic of China ....
and women
Chinese Taipei women's national football team
The Chinese Taipei women's national football team is the international women's football team for the Republic of China . -World Cup record:-AFC Women's Asian Cup record:-OFC Women's Championship:...
and several domestic competitions.
The top league of football, the Intercity Football League
Intercity Football League
Intercity Football League is the top-ranked Taiwanese football league run by Chinese Taipei Football Association .- History :...
, is relatively semi-professional and dominated by two teams, Tatung F.C.
Tatung F.C.
Tatung Football Club is a Taiwanese semi-professional football club based in Taipei, Republic of China . The club, affiliated with the Tatung electronics company, was founded in 1969 by a group of Tatung employees favoring football activities. It is the oldest and the only football club owned by...
from Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
and Taipower F.C. from Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
. As an incentive, the Asian Football Confederation
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
runs the AFC President's Cup
AFC President's Cup
The AFC President's Cup is an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation .-Competition format:...
continental club competition for countries where football is relatively undeveloped, and these two clubs often take turns representing Taiwan in it.
There are many amateur football clubs run by foreign expatriates within Taiwan, but they run their own amateur competitions. An example is 100 Pacers F.C. in Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
. At youth level, there are Highschool Football League
Highschool Football League
The Highschool Football League , founded in 2006 by Chinese Taipei Football Association, is the second-level football league in the Republic of China . The competitions are played between senior-high school teams...
, National Youth Cup
National Youth Cup (Taiwan)
The National Youth Cup is a Taiwanese football competition run by the Chinese Taipei Football Association. Starting from 1996, it is one of three major youth football tournaments in Taiwan together with Highschool Football League and National High School Games...
, and football program in the National High School Games
National High School Games
National High School Games is the largest multi-sport event for junior and senior high school players in Taiwan. The Games started in 1952, under the name of Taiwan Provincial High School Games . It is now controlled by Ministry of Education and National Sports Council, Executive Yuan...
.
Rugby union
Rugby union has had some presence in Taiwan for most of the post war period. The national sevens teamChinese Taipei national rugby union team (sevens)
The Chinese Taipei national rugby union sevens is a minor national sevens side. They have competed in the Hong Kong Sevens since the 1980s. In 1989, veteran rugby commentator Bill McLaren mentions them in an article on the Hong Kong Sevens, saying that their team had two Chi-Mings, a Yen-Ching, and...
has been particularly successful.
Volleyball
Starting from 2004, Chinese Taipei Volleyball AssociationChinese Taipei Volleyball Association
The Chinese Taipei Volleyball Association is the governing body of volleyball in Republic of China . - See also :* Chinese Taipei men's national volleyball team...
holds the Enterprise Volleyball League
Enterprise Volleyball League
The Enterprise Volleyball League , often abbreviated to the TVL, is the amateur men's and women's volleyball leagues run by Chinese Taipei Volleyball Association . It was founded in 2004 with the purpose of increasing Taiwan's competition ability in volleyball...
every year. It is a men's amateur volleyball league. In total 4 teams participated in the 2008 season.
Archery
Taiwanese competitors regularly participate in archery tournaments, occasionally winning metals in major sport events. Taiwanese archery team is also one of the top teams in the world.Table Tennis
Many Taiwanese people play table tennis because it does not require a lot of strength and space. The competitions, however, are not watched by many, because the speed and complex technique is difficult for average audiences to follow.Golf
Golf was introduced during the Japanese colonial period, with the first golf club opening in 1919. In 1982, T.C. Chen became the first professional golfer from Taiwan to earn a PGA TourPGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
card. After a period of decline, Golf has become increasingly popular in Taiwan. Yani Tseng
Yani Tseng
Yani Tseng is a Taiwanese professional golfer currently playing on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She is the youngest player ever, male or female, to win five major championships and is currently ranked number 1 in the Women's World Golf Rankings....
(曾雅妮) was the 2008 LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
Rookie of the Year. On 1 August 2010 she became the youngest woman to win three Majors
Women's major golf championships
Women's golf has a set of major championships which parallels that in men's golf, but the women's system is younger and has been less stable than the men's. Many professional stroke play events for women are played over three rounds , but the majors are played over four rounds , which is the...
.
Marathon
Marathon races are held in many places in Taiwan each year. Many marathoners from all over the world participate in these races. In the 2007 Carrefour Taipei International Expressway Marathon, African runners dominated both men and women divisions.Tennis
In recent years both male and female tennis players from Taiwan got solid results and rankings. Lu Yen-hsunLu Yen-hsun
Lu Yen-hsun is a Taiwanese professional tennis player. He goes by the nickname Rendy. As of November 1, 2010, Lu is ranked #33 in the world and #1 in Asia. His favorite surface is hardcourt.- Junior career:...
(盧彥勳) and Wang Yeu-Tzuoo (王宇佐) has been ranked Top 100 (Lu's highest rank is no. 33 in July 2010, and Wang's was 85 in March 2006). Both of them set records for Taiwanese tennis history. As of the female, before the new generation that included Chan Yung-jan
Chan Yung-jan
Chan Yung-jan , Taiwan) is a professional female tennis player from Republic of China . She has won 13 ITF singles titles; and 7 WTA and 11 ITF doubles titles. Her career highlights include semifinals in the Japan Open in 2006 and finals in the PTT Bangkok Open in 2007 Chan Yung-jan , Taiwan) is a...
(詹詠然), Chuang Chia-jung
Chuang Chia-jung
Chuang Chia-jung is a Taiwanese professional female tennis player. In the Australian Open 2007, she reached the final of the women's doubles with her partner Chan Yung-jan, but lost in three sets to Cara Black and Liezel Huber...
(莊佳容) and Hsieh Su-wei
Hsieh Su-wei
Hsieh Su-wei is a Taiwanese professional female tennis player. As of July 12, 2010 she is ranked 322nd in the WTA Tour singles rankings and is the fourth-highest ranked Taiwanese women's singles player. -2006–2007:...
(謝淑薇) rose, Wang Shi-ting
Wang Shi-ting
Wang Shi-ting is a retired professional tennis player from Republic of China . Wang turned pro in 1991. During her career, she won 6 singles on the WTA Tour. She played 49 times over 11 years for the Chinese Taipei Fed Cup team, earning a 51-25 overall record and setting many team records. She...
(王思婷) was the most well-known tennis player in Taiwan. Wang Shi-ting
Wang Shi-ting
Wang Shi-ting is a retired professional tennis player from Republic of China . Wang turned pro in 1991. During her career, she won 6 singles on the WTA Tour. She played 49 times over 11 years for the Chinese Taipei Fed Cup team, earning a 51-25 overall record and setting many team records. She...
was ranked No. 26 in 1993.
Taekwondo
Taiwanese competitors regularly participate in Taekwondo tournaments from Asian Games to the Olympics. In 2004 Summer Olympics, Chen Shih-hsinChen Shih-Hsin
Chen Shih-hsin is the first Taiwanese athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics. She won the gold medal in the women's 49-kilogram category in taekwondo at the 2004 Summer Olympics on August 26....
(陳詩欣) and Chu Mu-yen
Chu Mu-Yen
Chu Mu-yen is a Taekwondo athlete from Taiwan. He is the second Taiwanese athlete and first male to win a gold medal at the Olympics, winning in men's under 58-kilogram class in Taekwondo at the Athens 2004 Games...
(朱木炎) won the first two Gold Metals for Taiwan.