Taiwan’s Lin, Tian win World Para Table Tennis gold

Taiwan’s Lin Tzu-yu and Tian Shiau-wen yesterday rallied from a game down to win the women’s doubles WD20 title at the ITTF World Para Table Tennis Championships in Pattaya, Thailand.

Lin and Tian beat China’s Hou Chunxiao and Xiong Guiyan 10-12, 11-9, 11-2, 13-11 in the final to claim the gold medal.

Lin and Tian had faced the same opponents in the gold medal match at last month’s Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games, where they also won gold, and they carried that momentum into the world championships.

Taiwan’s Tian Shiau-wen, left, and Lin Tzu-yu compete at the ITTF World Para Table Tennis Championships in Pattaya, Thailand, in an undated photograph.

Photo: Liberty Times

Held every four years, the ITTF World Para Table Tennis Championships are the sport’s top standalone event and offer valuable ranking points toward qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.

Lin said she and Tian resumed training soon after the Asian Para Games, because the world championships were an important event for Paralympic qualification points and world rankings.

President William Lai (賴清德) sent a congratulatory message after learning of the victory, praising the athletes’ performance and encouraging Taiwan’s delegation to continue striving for success on the international stage.

The Ministry of Sports said it will continue supporting Taiwan’s para athletes through its preparation program for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games and enhance the country’s adaptive sports support system.