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Chinese women on the pull in
Inishowen
10.06.13
A GROUP of Chinese
women are on the pull in an Inishowen village 6,000
miles away from home - but it's not romance they’re
after.
The nine Taiwanese women are world tug-o-war
champions who've travelled to Clonmany to train for
next month's World Games in South America.
Clonmany boasts no fewer than two senior men's world
title-winning tug-o-war sides as well as a club with
top training facilities dedicated to the sport.
Club spokesman, Danny McGonigle, said he was proud
the elite team had chosen to travel so far to train
with them for just one week.
"We won the indoor World Championships in Scotland
last year and so did they. Many tug-o-war teams have
to train in old sheds and barns but our premises is
one of the only ones in Ireland with facilities
suited to a team of their quality," he said.
"They've had a great welcome and they're enjoying
themselves," he added.
Ranging in age from 20 to 24 years, the strong-armed
women are all students of Physical Education. In
competition, they pull in the 540kg team category. |
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The championship indoor tug-o-war
team from Taipei, Taiwan, China who are training in
Clonmany for the World Games 2013. Pictured at front
are, from left, manager, Jenny Wu, team leader,
Ghy-Hwei Kuo and coach, Sheng Kuo. |
Squad manager, Jenny
Wu, said they were happy the Tug-o-War Association
of Ireland had arranged for them to train in Co
Donegal.
She said the girls, who are also accompanied by a
team leader and a coach, are keeping a strict
schedule of training, meal-times and rest followed
by downtime boosted by the unseasonably sunny Irish
weather.
"Ireland is beautiful, wonderful. We like the sheep
too – we only see them in the zoo at home," beamed
Ms Wu.
"The training facilities are very good here and they
are very good tug-o-war pullers." While staying at
the picturesque Glen House B&B, the visitors have
also been facilitated in making their own native
dishes including stir-fried rice, pork and chicken.
The twelve fly home to Taipei, Taiwan, midweek and
will compete in the World Games 2013 in Colombia
beginning July 25. |
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The Chinese indoor tug-o-war team in
winning action at the World Championships in
Scotland last year. |
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