Taipei, July 18 (CNA) Taiwan's delegation at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama in the United States joined in the closing ceremony celebrations, including a procession with around 1,000 international athletes, volunteers and staff, on Sunday after it won a total of 13 medals at the international multi-sport event.
Around 3,375 athletes competed in the World Games in Birmingham, which began on July 7, featuring 233 events in 34 sports. Taiwan's total tally of 13 medals -- one gold, six silvers, and six bronze -- ties with Great Britain at No. 16 for the total medal count.
Germany won the most gold medals with 24 as competition concluded Sunday afternoon, while Italy led the overall medal count with 49.
At the ceremony held at Birmingham's Protective Stadium, music rocked the stage and fireworks erupted overhead, as American singer-songwriter Lionel Richie, a native of Alabama, headlined the event with his iconic hits, including "You Are" and "All Night Long."
The crowd danced and sang with Richie to celebrate their sporting achievements over the last 10 days.
One of Taiwan's best performances during the World Games was by its women tug of war team when it swept the outdoor 540 kilograms division on July 15 to bag the country's only gold at the World Games, its fifth consecutive gold medal in the history of the event.
Meanwhile, Taiwanese speed skater Chen Ying-chu (陳映竹) picked up three medals in speed skating, with a bronze in the women's 200-meter speed skating track event on July 8, which was followed by a silver in the 100-meter road sprint on July 10 and another bronze in the women's Speed Skating Road Sprint 1 Lap event on July 11.
Speed skater Kuo Li-yang (郭立陽) won a silver and bronze in the men's 100-meter road sprint and men's 500-meter track sprint, respectively, while powerlifter Hsieh Tsung-ting (謝宗庭) pocketed a silver medal after completing a combined weight of 775 kilograms in the men's lightweight powerlifting event that consisted of squat, bench press and deadlift.
Wushu athletes Liu Pei-hsun (劉佩勳) and Lai Po-wei (賴柏瑋) took home silver and bronze medals in the women's taolu Taijiquan and Taijijian all-round, and in the men's taolu Nanquan and Nangun all-round events, respectively.
Other Taiwanese medal winners are pool player Chou Chieh-yu (周婕妤), who won silver in the women's 9-ball competition; and Yang Sen (楊森), who bagged a silver medal in the super heavyweight division of the men's powerlifting competition.
In addition, Taiwan's women's softball team won bronze, the team's first podium finish at a world championship since 2002.
Taiwan picked up its last medal on Sunday after it defeated Germany in the Korfball bronze medal game 23-22.
The next edition of the World Games will take place in August 2025 in Chengdu, China.
