【Text and some photos: Assoc. Prof. Huang Chuan-Cheng, Department of Athletic Performance; Edited by: Public Affairs Section】

【Promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) series】

2025-07-17 Breaking into the world’s top 40! National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) Department of Sport Competition students He Chih-Wei and Huang Jui-Hsuan, a golden badminton pair, recently competed in the BWF World Tour U.S. and Canada Opens (Super 300 level), winning one silver and one bronze in consecutive weeks. This achievement sets a new record for both the team and the players in international competition, with their men’s doubles world ranking soaring to an all-time high of No. 37.

These two tournaments are part of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 series, known for intense competition and a strong field of top players. At the U.S. Open, He and Huang advanced through the rounds, defeating multiple higher-ranked opponents, and claimed the silver medal in their very first finals appearance. In Toronto for the Canada Open, they adjusted their form and avenged their U.S. Open finals loss by defeating the same formidable opponents in the round of 16. Riding that momentum into the quarterfinals, they battled the No. 3 seeds from Scotland in a thrilling three-game match, edging them out to reach the semifinals and ultimately bringing home the bronze medal. Their consistent performance over the two weeks earned widespread recognition.

Assoc. Prof. Huang Chuan-Cheng of the Department of Sport Competition noted that He and Huang have been partners since high school and are now in their fourth year of collaboration, sharing both deep synergy and a common goal—to earn national team spots and compete on the international stage. Their breakthrough performance reflects years of dedicated training and perseverance, bringing further international recognition to NUK’s badminton team. Their coach, Lin Shang-Kai, an alumnus and former teammate, played a crucial role through tactical planning and motivation.

Dean of Student Affairs Wang Ming-Yueh expressed gratitude for Assoc. Prof. Huang’s dedication and selfless contributions, praising him as both a strong technical and emotional pillar for the players—the soul of the badminton team.

Director of the Physical Education Office Lin Chi-Chan highlighted that since its founding in 2013, the Department of Sport Competition’s badminton team has achieved continuous breakthroughs under Assoc. Prof. Huang’s leadership. In May this year, player Huang Yu-Hsun won the women’s singles gold medal in the Open Division at the National Intercollegiate Athletic Games. Assoc. Prof. Huang himself also claimed 2 gold and 1 silver at the 2025 Taipei–New Taipei City World Masters Games, exemplifying excellence both as an athlete and coach.

Huang emphasized that while perseverance and skill improvement are “standard requirements” in competitive badminton, outstanding results also depend on the school’s support and corporate sponsorship. He expressed his appreciation to Aba Badminton Team, Hi-Hone Hotel, and Melody Education Center for their ongoing funding, as well as to NUK for providing an excellent training and learning environment. He stressed the collective effort in nurturing talent for Taiwan and pledged to continue developing elite badminton players, leading them to even higher levels and bringing glory to both Taiwan and NUK.

#SDG3 #SDG4 #SDG17 @Department of Sport Competition & Activities