New Taipei City, Chinese Taipei, May 9, 2026: The OCA conducted the Asian Games Youth Reporter Programme on Friday, May 8 at the Hilton Hotel in New Taipei City.
From an initial entry of over 100 students, the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee invited the top nine to the OCA programme on Friday afternoon.
The first half of the programme involved a presentation on the OCA, the Asian Games and a typical day in the life of a sports journalist at a major event, and the second half required the nine students to write an essay entitled “My Asian Games” on why they wanted to attend the Asian Games in Japan.
The OCA and CTOC assessed the nine essays before deciding the winner from a shortlist of three, all of which were good enough to have been announced the winner.
In the end, Melody Wu Jo Hsuan, a 21-year-old student in international sports affairs, was adjudged to be the winner – and collected her prizes at the Asian Games Fun Run on Saturday morning. Here is her award-winning essay:
My Asian Games – by Melody Wu
I am currently a student majoring in International Sports Affairs at National Taiwan University. Before entering university, I was an active member of the national taekwondo team.
After starting university, I gradually shifted my focus from being a full-time athlete to academics and future career development.
During my athletic career, I was selected for the Universiade national team and trained at the National Sports Training Center. I also won a bronze medal in the freestyle team event at the 2022 Goyang World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in Korea.
In addition, I participated in several Asian Junior and Asian Cadet Championships. These experiences allowed me to receive high-level training and better understand the pressure and responsibilities of athletes.
Because of this background, I believe I can view the Asian Games from a different perspective. I not only admire athletes as a fan, but I also understand the hard work and sacrifices behind every performance.
I want to attend the 20th Asian Games in Japan because it is one of the most important sporting events in Asia. I think it is a valuable opportunity to experience international sports culture and meet people from different countries.
I also admire Japan’s sports environment and event organization. Japan is known for its professionalism, discipline, and attention to detail when hosting international events. I hope to learn from their sports culture and event management during the Games.
My favorite sport is still taekwondo, especially freestyle poomsae, because it combines athletic performance, creativity, and mental strength. I also enjoy equestrian sports because they require trust and communication between the rider and the horse.
As a youth reporter, I hope to improve my writing and communication skills while learning more about international sports media and event operations. Since I spent many years as an athlete, I now want to explore sports from a different role and perspective.
One of my biggest goals for joining this program is to meet new people and learn things beyond sports itself. I believe sports are not only about competition, but also about culture, communication, friendship, and personal growth.