(Vientiane Special Author: Yiyi)
84 years ago today, on July 10, 1933, Yang Chuanguang, the first Chinese Olympic medalist, was born in Taiwan
Yang Chuanguang (10 July 1933 – 27 January 2007) was a Native of Taitung, Taiwan, and an Ami of the Malan tribe. Decathlete, nicknamed "Asian Ironman". He won the silver medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and became the first person to medal at the Olympic Games in China.
He set a decathlon world record of 9,121 points, becoming the first person to break 9,000 points. Since then, the way the scoring has been calculated has changed, and no one can reach this score again.
After leaving sports, he worked in politics for a short time. He returned home to build the temple and personally served as a temple blessing and a servant for more than 20 years. He was summoned seven times by Chiang Kai-shek, was the first person in Taiwanese sports, and was awarded the Order of the Republic of China, Second Class.
<h1>Won the asian games decathlon gold medal</h1>
Born on July 10, 1933 in Taitung County, Taiwan Province, under Japanese rule, Yang Chuanguang was an Ami of the Malan tribe. In 1951 (at the age of 18), after graduating from Taitung Agricultural School, he entered the joint logistics track and field team and won the championship with a long jump of 7.32 meters at the National Army Games.
In 1954 (at the age of 21), at the Asian Games in Manila, he won his first decathlon gold medal with 5454 points. The local newspaper called him "ASIAN IRON MAN", which is where the title "Asian Iron Man" came from. Four years later, in 1958 (at the age of 25), at the Asian Games in Tokyo, he broke the Asian Games record and won the decathlon gold medal again.
<h1>He won the silver medal in the Olympic decathlon</h1>
He then moved to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and practiced under Coach Derek with Silver Medalist Rafer Johnson at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
In 1960 (at the age of 27), in the decathlon competition at the Rome Olympic Games, although Yang Chuanguang led Johnson in seven events, he lost by 58 points and won the silver medal due to too much behind in the shot put. Yang Chuanguang became the first person to medal at the Olympic Games in China.
In the last project 1500 meters, after the two reached the finish line, Johnson fell on Yang Chuanguang, and the scene of the two supporting each other was touching. After the game, some spectators even shouted: "Give both of them gold medals"!
<h1>Unattainable world record</h1>
On January 26, 1963 (at the age of 30), at the International Athletics Invitational in the United States, Yang Chuanguang broke the world record in pole vaulting, and at the same time set a new world record for decathlon with 9121 points, becoming the first person in the history of the decathlon to break 9000 points. The way decathlons are scored has also changed.
It wasn't until 2001 that Roman Shebler broke through the 9,000-point mark again. Ashton Eaton, the current world record holder, scored 9,045 points in 2015 (1984 standard). However, it cannot reach Yang Chuanguang's 9121, although it is only 8206 points according to the 1984 standard.
<h1>The "drugged" Tokyo Olympics</h1>
In 1964 (at the age of 31), Yang Chuanguang participated in the Tokyo Olympic Games, and before the competition, he was the most vocal player for gold medals, but later only finished fifth. Yang Chuanguang said that after ma Qingshan, a shooter in the same group, gave him a glass of juice before the game, he felt unwell, resulting in the loss of the game.
However, some people in the sports world believe that Yang Chuanguang's failure is related to the change in the way the decathlon is scored, rather than a political factor. After the defeat in this Olympic Games, Yang Chuanguang served as a coach and general supervisor, and cultivated good players such as Gu Jinshui and Li Fuen. After that, it gradually faded out of the sports world.
<h1>When the temple blessed the first person in Taiwan's sports arena</h1>
In 1983 (50 years old), Yang Chuanguang accepted the recommendation of the ruling Kuomintang at that time and was elected as a legislator of the Pingdi Mountain Compatriots, which became a good story for a while. In 1986, a short three-year term was concluded without further nomination. In 1989, he lost the election of the DPP to participate in the taitung county governor's election and has since stayed away from politics.
Due to the influence of personal religious beliefs, Yang Chuanguang built a temple in his hometown and personally served as a temple blessing and a servant for more than 20 years. Yang Chuanguang was summoned seven times by then-President Chiang Kai-shek and was the first person in Taiwan's sports scene. On September 13, 2005, he was awarded the Order of the Republic of China, Second Class.
At 17:30 p.m. on January 27, 2007, he died at the age of 74 in his California apartment due to the deterioration of his condition due to a stroke.