A Tug-of-War Dream Come True

Hold steady, compete fearlessly

“I’ve never seen a competition like the one in Chengdu. Rain was pouring down, there was thunder and lightning, and the whole pulling area was covered with water,” recalls Coach Kuo Sheng. He was surprised by the terrible weather, but it also gave him a reason for pride: While teams from other countries shied away from attacking, Taiwan’s athletes quickly mastered their environment. Though the rope was wet and heavy, they kept their heads and showed no hesitation.

Behind that courage to attack lay a solid foundation of training. Six days a week, rain or shine, the “pullers” (tug-of-war competitors) run and do tire-pushing, and even the most basic exercise on the tug-of-war machine is 20 reps at 100 kilograms. Palms covered in calluses, wrists chafed by ropes, and toes ground down by shoes are all badges of honor.

“Sports is about cumulative results—there are no miracles,” says Kuo. There is little difference among top teams in technique and strength, so psychology is the key to victory. Taiwan’s athletes have repeatedly competed in international indoor and outdoor tournaments and have learned how to deal with pressure, enabling them to perform at 100%.

Tug-of-war is a team sport, and all the training—including tire workouts, using the tug-of-war machine, and weight training—requires the assistance of teammates. The daily regimen builds not only physical strength but also team spirit and cohesion.

Tug-of-war shoes are abraded to provide consistent friction.

Videos of training sessions are discussed collectively to figure out ways to further improve team performance.

Every callus or injury is a badge of honor and a manifestation of the team’s never-quit mentality.

The determination of girls

While their classmates are out having fun, these rope-pulling girls do rep after rep at the tug-of-war machine.

They have all been through times when training seemed too tough and they wanted to quit. But they have always carried on, for themselves and their teammates. Kuo says that the biggest difference between tug-of-war and other sports is that it has no individual heroes. To win, one must help the weakest link and know that holding steady for just one more second could be the key to victory.

Kuo cites the example of the Tug of War International Federation World Outdoor Championships held in the US in 2014. One of the members of the national team was injured but continued to quietly compete, only telling the coach when they reached the semifinals. Because teams can make only a single substitution during the whole tournament, she knew that every contest for which she held on was important. Ultimately the Taiwan team, which had finished third in the preliminary round, ended up winning it all.

Teams that break records in group training can sign their names on the machine to leave a record of their achievements.

Pullers, as tug-of-war athletes are known, apply grip powder before competing.

Support system for world champions

Key to Taiwan’s ability to maintain a high level of competitiveness internationally is its comprehensive system for developing pullers.

Enterprises have long funded tug-of-war coaching at five selected high schools. Middle-school female pullers with potential can attend Taipei Jingmei Girls High School (JGHS) to continue their training. Any high schooler who enjoys success in international competition can gain direct admission to prestigious National Taiwan Normal University, and can return to JGHS at night to work with the coach and high-school-aged pullers, with the common goal of becoming national team members.

Kuo says that the return to JGHS by university students and alumni with international experience improves the school team, forming a four-level system comprising middle-school, high-school, university, and national-team training.

Even if one only counts world championships at the adult level, Kuo’s athletes have won 31 gold medals. A soft-hearted tough guy, he tells them: “It’s all of you who have made my world championship dream come true. Let’s win more of them in the future.” These girls who give their all for tug-of-war are Kuo’s pride and joy, and the pride of Taiwan. 

Facing terrible weather at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, the Taiwan women’s tug-of-war team kept their cool and showed no fear, and eventually ended up winning the gold medal. (courtesy of Chinese Taipei Tug of War Association)

At the 2025 Taipei International Indoor Tug of War Invitational Tournament, every puller gave their all. Pictured here, Taiwanese and Malaysian athletes exchanged high-fives both before and after the match, in a gesture of mutual respect.

In events, pullers devote complete concentration to tugging through to the end. When a competition is over, they can’t help but lie on the ground and smile with relief.