Chuang Chih-yuan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chuang Chih-yuan
Chuang at the 2013 World Championships
Personal information
Born	(1981-04-02) 2 April 1981 (age 44) Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Playing style	Right-handed shakehand grip
Highest ranking	3 (December 2003)
Club	TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Medal record Men's table tennis Representing  Chinese Taipei World Championships Gold 2013 Paris Doubles Bronze 2014 Tokyo Team Bronze 2024 Busan Team World Cup Silver 2013 Guangzhou Team Asian Games Silver 2002 Busan Singles Bronze 1998 Bangkok Team Bronze 2002 Busan Team Bronze 2006 Doha Doubles Bronze 2006 Doha Team Bronze 2014 Incheon Singles Bronze 2014 Incheon Team Bronze 2018 Jakarta Team Bronze 2022 Hangzhou Doubles Bronze 2022 Hangzhou Team Asian Championships Silver 2000 Doha Team Silver 2003 Bangkok Team Silver 2021 Doha Singles Silver 2021 Doha Team Silver 2023 Pyeongchang Team Bronze 2007 Yangzhou Doubles Bronze 2007 Yangzhou Team Bronze 2013 Busan Team Bronze 2015 Pattaya Singles Bronze 2015 Pattaya Team Asian Cup Bronze 2013 Hong Kong Singles Bronze 2022 Bangkok Singles

Chuang Chih-yuan (Chinese: 莊智淵; pinyin: Zhuāng Zhìyuān) is a famous table tennis player from Taiwan. He was born on April 2, 1981. Chuang won the ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals in 2002. He also won a doubles title at the 2013 World Table Tennis Championships. Chuang has competed in the Summer Olympics six times. This is more than any other Taiwanese athlete!

Chuang Chih-yuan's Table Tennis Journey

Chuang's parents were both table tennis players in Taiwan. His dad was a national doubles champion. His mom, Lee Kuei-mei, was on the national team. After her playing career, Chuang's mom became his coach.

Early Training and First Steps

Chuang started playing in competitions when he was eight years old in 1989. When he was 13, his mom sent him to China for training many times. Chuang joined the Taiwan national team in 1998. In 1999, he played in his first World Championships and ITTF Pro Tour events. At the end of 2000, his mom decided he should train in Europe. He trained in places like France and Germany. This helped him combine Chinese and European playing styles.

Big Wins and High Rankings

The year 2002 was amazing for Chuang. He reached three finals on the Pro Tour but finished second in all of them. In September, he entered the world's top ten players. He won a silver medal at the Asian Games. He also played in his first World Cup. At the end of 2002, he won the Pro Tour Grand Finals. He beat players who had defeated him before, showing great skill.

In 2003, Chuang won his first singles title on the Pro Tour at the Brazil Open. He reached his highest world ranking, number 3, at the end of that year.

Olympic Games and World Championships

Chuang played in the 2004 Athens Olympics. He reached the quarter-finals but lost to Wang Hao. In men's doubles, he and his teammate Chiang Peng-lung reached the last 16.

In July 2008, Chuang opened his own table tennis stadium in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It was called Chih Yuan The Ping-Pong Stadium. At the 2008 Olympics, he lost in the third round. Four years later, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, he reached the bronze medal match. He played well but lost to Dimitrij Ovtcharov.

In May 2013, Chuang Chih-yuan and Chen Chien-an won the men's doubles title. This was at the 52nd World Table Tennis Championships in Paris, France. They were the first athletes from Taiwan to win a World Table Tennis Championships title! The next year, Chuang helped the Chinese Taipei men's team reach the semifinals. This was at the 2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships. It was a new record for Taiwan in the men's team event.

Later Career and Retirement

In September 2019, Chuang announced he would not play for the Chinese Taipei national team anymore. He wanted to focus on singles and let younger players join the team events. However, Chuang returned to the team in 2020. He then played in his fifth Summer Olympics. He kept competing in international tournaments after the Tokyo Olympics. In 2022, Chuang won a men's singles title at a WTT Feeder tournament. He was 41 years old at the time!

In 2024, Chuang helped the Chinese Taipei men's team reach the semifinals again. This was at the 2024 World Team Championships. After his sixth Olympic appearance in Paris, Chuang announced his retirement from the sport.

Chuang Chih-yuan's Career Highlights

Here are some of Chuang Chih-yuan's main achievements in singles play:

• Olympics: Reached the semi-finals in 2012.
• World Championships: Reached the round of 16 in 2003 and 2007.
• World Cup: Played 10 times. His best result was reaching the quarter-finals in 2006 and 2010.
• ITTF World Tour titles: Won 4 titles (Brazil 2003, Chile 2011, Spanish Open 2012, and Hungarian Open 2016). He was also a runner-up 10 times.
• ITTF World Tour Grand Finals: Played 12 times and won in 2002.
• Asian Games: Was a runner-up in 2002.

Awards and Recognition

Chuang has received several awards for his achievements:

• He won the Best Male Athlete Award in 2003 and 2012. These awards were from the Sports Affairs Council in Taiwan.
• He was named one of the 41st Ten Outstanding Young Persons in 2003. This award came from the Ten Outstanding Young Persons' Foundation in Taiwan.

Personal Life

On October 27, 2012, Chuang married Gladys Shi. Their wedding took place in his hometown of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.