With only a few weeks to go until the Olympic torch makes it to Paris, everyone is watching the world’s best flourish in their favorite sports. One of the world’s best taekwondo athletes is Taiwan’s Lo Chia-ling. The former Tokyo bronze medal winner was only 19 at the time and is gearing up to take another medal. Lo is exact, fast, and furious on the mat, but off it is a cheerful young woman with strong values. How does a young woman get to be a possible gold medalist?
Lo Chia-Ling Faces off Against the World’s Best
Taekwondo is not just a sport for Lo Chia-ling; it’s a way of life that demands physical, mental, and spiritual strength. Despite her rigorous training and discipline, she’s not immune to the pressures of competition. In her own words, “I was more nervous during the qualifying events than I was in the formal competition.” This admission underscores the mental and emotional fortitude required to excel in her sport.
After her qualification round, she looked back, stating, “By the time I got to the formal competition, my mind was calm, and I wasn’t worried about winning or losing.” She has come a long way from being coached by her father Lo Wenhsiang.
Father and Former Coach Watches Lo Chia-ling in the Olympics
Lo wasn’t alone in having her father as her first coach; she attended with her oldest brother. In studying taekwondo with their father, they didn’t receive any special treatment but were taught and treated like the rest of the students. When lessons were over, however, and they got home, Lo said, “Dad really loves us so much, so I can get away with playing up to him like a little girl.”
Showing her dedication, she missed her middle-school graduation to compete overseas. Lo’s dedication led her to become the first woman from Taiwan to win consecutive titles at the World Taekwondo Junior Championships when she was 17.
After that, she joined the National Sports Training Center for adults. She had to pause for a moment, “That was the biggest hurdle I’ve ever encountered, and I was really uncertain about whether to leave or stay. My parents said, ‘Never mind, just come home, that’s OK.’”
It Takes a Family to Make an Olympian
She overcame it and kept learning all the way to the Tokyo Olympics. “In fact, just qualifying for the Olympics was already the realization of my dream for the current phase of my career,” says Lo. “Probably no one thought that in a single day, I would fight my way into the quarterfinals and then the semifinals and win a bronze medal.”
Lo Chia-ling didn’t set a goal for Paris but set her goals within her personal limits and kept going. Every time she felt tired and wanted to give up, she pushed herself a little more. Looking back later, she discovered that the obstacles she thought she could never get past were the basis for her breakthrough achievements.
Her determination and personal goals set her mind on honor and the value of doing her best regardless of her challenge. With a Bronze Olympic medal and several other awards, she has earned. Lo will now take her tried and true method to Paris, representing her country and the sport she loves.
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About the Author
This article is written by RJ Parker, an award-winning novelist and author of two series, a scriptwriter for feature films and an animation series with Dissfilm, a board game designer and writer for Anzir, a digital storyteller, and a writer for Total Apex Sports and Faith at a View.
