English Department alumnus Howard Hao-Chih Huang has been appointed as a foil referee for the fencing events at the Paris Olympics. The picture shows him serving as a referee at the Budapest International Fencing Competition.

The 2024 Paris Olympics were held from July 26 to August 11. Howard Hao-Chih Huang, an alumnus of the English Department at Tamkang University, proudly represented our country as a foil referee in the fencing events. This marks the first time a national fencing referee has been selected for the Olympics. The Chinese Taipei Fencing Association has hailed Huang as a “Beacon of Taiwan.”

Howard Hao-Chih Huang is currently the Head of the Referees Section of the Chinese Taipei Fencing Association and a referee for the FIE (International Fencing Federation). While at the university, he was a member of the fencing team and won the men's individual sabre championship at the Collegiate Fencing Championships. Despite graduating many years ago, he frequently returns to the university to mentor the members of the Fencing Club. In January of this year (2024), during the winter training, he taught fencing techniques from the perspective and experience of an international referee. Together with coaches Shun-Min Wang and Tsu-Chao Yu, he led the university's fencing team to win 8 gold and 4 bronze medals at the 2015 National Intercollegiate Athletic Games and 6 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals at the 2014 National Intercollegiate Athletic Games.

Tamkang University’s “Fencing Club” was established in 1968. Its outstanding members are often selected for the university’s fencing (epee) team. Thanks to the dedication of the coaches and the continuous efforts of members each year, they have brought honor to the university, frequently securing championships and runner-up positions in both team and individual categories in the university-level Group B competitions. While at the university, Huang had great respect for his coaches and senior teammates. He persevered through hardship, exhaustion, and pain for the sake of competition, because he believed, “Only by enduring hardship and putting in dedicated effort can one taste the fruits of victory.” It was this unwavering belief in competition that allowed them to achieve outstanding results and bring honor to the university.

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