Under the sponsorship of the Taipei City Government, the 1979 Taiwan Area Games opened on October 21 at the Taipei Municipal Stadium. All the sports facilities were newly furbished, and the athletes well taken care of in terms of food, clothing, accommodation, transport, entertainment, hygiene and security. Such programs as the opening of the Taipei Drama Festival, visits to the zoo, the National Palace Museum and the astronomical observatory, as well as free tickets for the "Swan Lake" ballet performance, filled the athletes' cultural needs. The games, highlighted by the appearance of more than 50 famous international athletes from 10 countries, were among the most well-attended and largest in scope.

Wearing a sports jacket, President Chiang Ching-kuo, accompanied by Taipei Mayor Lee Teng-hui, waved to the athletes and spectators when he arrived at the games, and was warmly greeted in return when he walked around the stadium. The spectators' heartfelt welcome and greetings were summed up by card characters reading "Chiang Tsung Tung Hao (Hello! President Chiang) arranged by some 5,500 students of the Yu Ta Commercial High School.

The opening ceremony of the games started at 9:30 a.m. with Mayor Lee presiding and more than 8,000 athletes and officials from cities and counties all over Taiwan taking part. Former President and Mrs. C. K. Yen, Premier Sun Yun-suan, secretary-general to the President Ma Chi-chuang, Minister of Education Chu Hwei-sen, Taiwan Provincial Governor Lin Yang-kang, ROC Amateur Athletic Federation chairman Ni Yui-si also attended the opening ceremony.

Many programs were presented to prelude the opening ceremony including honor guard and folk dance performances and a mass choir singing three Chinese songs- "I Love China, " "Unity Is Strength," and "Plum Blossoms." After the parade of local and international athletes around the stadium track, C. K. Yang, silver medal winner in the decathlon event in the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960; and Miss Chi Cheng, the world's fastest woman sprinter, carried the torch for the games into the stadium. The torch was handed over to Wang Yi-cheng to light the sacred flame, representing the undying sports heritage from one generation to another.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Mayor Lee urged the participants to show a strong spirit of sportsmanship during the games. Premier Sun said the nation's drive to promote sports has found a ready response among the people.

During the following five days of competitions, some 105 participants in 42 events broke previous Taiwan Area Games records, 27 in nine events broke national records, and three in three events equalled national records.

The International Friendship Meet held on the evening of October 24 was a great crowd pleaser. Fifty outstanding international athletes competed with local athletes in 28 events sponsored by the ROC Track and Field Association. Chinese athletes took four gold medals: Chien Hung-wen in the 100 meter event, Lee Mu-chai with a 7.47 meter broad jump, Lin Yueh-hsiang in the women's 100-meter low hurdles and a team in the women's 1,600 meter relay. The most important thing however, was that when the 1979 Taiwan Area Games came to a close on October 25, all the participating track and field stars had learned valuable lessons and acquired new knowledge from the competition, besides winning many friends. In spite of some imperfections, the 1979 Taiwan Area Games was regarded as a success by participants and spectators alike.

[Picture Caption]

Above from left: At the opening ceremony, some 1,500 students of the Chinhua Girl's Middle School dance with blue ribbons and the national flag; Chang Hsiao-ting, acts on behalf of all the athletes at the swearing-in ceremony; President Chiang waves to the athletes and spectators when he arrives at the games; Premier Sun, in an address at the opening ceremony, urged the participants to show a strong spirit of sportsmanship and to create new records; A bird's eye view of the opening ceremony of the Taiwan Area Games and below some 1,000 students of the Sun San Commercial High School present the "Victory Glory."

From left: Sprinters leap away from their blocks; Miss Chi Cheng, the world's fastest woman sprinter, carries the torch for the games into the stadium; A moment in high jump event, and members of folk dancing clubs in various communities in Taipei, and of the Smile Association, enter the stadium to give performances. Some 50 international track and field stars entering the Games, preceded by 10 teams carrying national flags. Through their participation, local athletes learned valuable lessons and acquired new knowledge from the competition, besides winning friends. Above right, the colorful opening ceremony.

Chang Hsiao-ting, acts on behalf of all the athletes at the swearing-in ceremony;.

President Chiang waves to the athletes and spectators when he arrives at the games; Premier Sun, in an address at the opening ceremony, urged the participants to show a strong spirit of sportsmanship and to create new records.

bird's eye view of the opening ceremony of the Taiwan Area Games and below some 1,000 students of the Sun San Commercial High School present the "Victory Glory.

bird's eye view of the opening ceremony of the Taiwan Area Games and below some 1,000 students of the Sun San Commercial High School present the "Victory Glory.

bird's eye view of the opening ceremony of the Taiwan Area Games and below some 1,000 students of the Sun San Commercial High School present the "Victory Glory.

Sprinters leap away from their blocks.

Miss Chi Cheng, the world's fastest woman sprinter, carries the torch for the games into the stadium.

A moment in high jump event.

members of folk dancing clubs in various communities in Taipei, and of the Smile Association, enter the stadium to give performances.

Some 50 international track and field stars entering the Games, preceded by 10 teams carrying national flags.

Through their participation, local athletes learned valuable lessons and acquired new knowledge from the competition, besides winning friends. Above right, the colorful opening ceremony.

Through their participation, local athletes learned valuable lessons and acquired new knowledge from the competition, besides winning friends. Above right, the colorful opening ceremony.

Through their participation, local athletes learned valuable lessons and acquired new knowledge from the competition, besides winning friends. Above right, the colorful opening ceremony.

Through their participation, local athletes learned valuable lessons and acquired new knowledge from the competition, besides winning friends. Above right, the colorful opening ceremony.