Tang Chih-Chun unfazed as favourite at Youth Olympic Games

Tang Chih-Chun is not only a reigning cadet world champion, but he was also part of the three-man recurve men’s team from Chinese Taipei that upset Korea in this summer’s Asian Games.

In a diverse field of archers at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, Tang has undoubtedly the most international experience.

“I’m just here to show off my skills. Everyone else is here for the same reason,” said the 17-year-old.

“At any level, junior or senior, I’ve always pushed for the next level. I’ve always focused on the next competition. Prepare for each competition, one step at a time.”

Egypt’s Ibrahim Sabry won the first boy’s Youth Olympic Champion title and the second was taken by Lee Woo Seok of Korea – who is now a household name after this past breakout senior season on the Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit. Neither had as many world-class competition arrows through their bow arriving at this event as Tang.

Unfazed by the importance of an Asian Games title shoot-off, he’s just as unfazed by arriving in Buenos Aires as the favourite. 

“I haven’t set any limit on my performance and have no expectation of what I will achieve. I’ll just focus on each arrow,” said Chih-Chun.

Chinese Taipei has been one of the more consistently successful teams of the modern archery era – but the nation has never taken an Olympic gold at senior or youth level. Tan Ya-Ting came closest with girls’ silver at the first Youth Olympics in Singapore in 2010 and senior teams have had three podiums at the main Games.

That first gold is only a waiting game – which could last only one more week.

“Each competition has its own pressure and there is a burden on an athlete’s shoulders. I will try to overcome those challenges,” said Tang.

Might a Youth Olympic Games win be exactly what Chinese Taipei archery needs to get over the hump?

The third edition of the Youth Olympic Games takes place on 12-17 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.