Chia-Hung Tang Secures Leading Position in Olympic Qualification Rankings
NTNU alumnus and Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Chia-Hung Tang, has advanced his quest for a spot at the Summer Olympics 2024 in Paris, posting a total score of 14.200 in the horizontal bar final at the International Gymnastics Federation's World Cup in Baku on March 11.
Tang's performance in Baku, with a difficulty score of 6.3 and an execution score of 7.900, earned him a 5th place finish. His consistent performances at earlier stops in the World Cup series have secured him a leading position in the Olympic points ranking. Confirmed for participation in the fourth event of the World Cup series in Doha, Tang’s has bolstered his prospects as a competitor in Paris 2024.
The strong bond between Tang and his coach, Shi-Hang Weng, was evident in their emotional embrace post-competition. 'Since 2022, we have overcome 6,000 failures and broken one Achilles tendon, to coming within reach of qualifying for an individual event at the Olympics,” Weng said. “He had planned a routine with a difficulty of 6.4, but the degree of completion was affected by the gap in the elasticity coefficient of the horizontal bar at the venue. Despite this, we have achieved our objective in the three World Cup competitions.'
Despite a setback during the horizontal bar qualifiers at the Tokyo Olympics, Tang still achieved a commendable 7th place in the all-around category to contribute to a historic achievement for Taiwan's men's gymnastics. While the team were unable to securing full team qualifications for Paris 2024, Tang and his teammates have focused on individual Olympic qualifications.
With victories in the first two World Cup events and a 5th place finish in the latest competition, Tang remains a strong contender in the Olympic rankings per the qualification regulations.
Weng noted that, compared to a team effort, the challenges toward individual Olympic qualifications must be overcome on one’s own each step of the way. “This is just the beginning. Our sights are set on Paris 2024.”
Tang will rest briefly upon his return with the Taiwan gymnastics team on March 12, before intensifying preparations for upcoming international competitions leading up to the Olympics. These events will provide additional opportunities for Tang to demonstrate his skills before the panel of judges.