Lo Chia-ling Wins First NIAG Taekwondo Gold; Mimics Japanese Kickboxer Mona Kimura
Olympic bronze medalist Lo Chia-ling clinched her first career gold medal at the National Intercollegiate Athletic Games (NIAG). She revealed that she is currently studying and mimicking techniques from Japanese professional kickboxer Mona Kimura to enhance her skills.
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- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 22:08
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TAOYUAN, April 28 (CNA) — The 115th National Intercollegiate Athletic Games (NIAG) events are unfolding at Central University. Taekwondo star Lo Chia-ling captured her first career NIAG gold medal today in the Open Women's 67kg category, jokingly mentioning that she has been trying to mimic Japanese professional kickboxer Mona Kimura recently.
Known as the "National Girlfriend," Lo gained fame after winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. However, she has struggled with a fatigue fracture in her left foot in recent years. Last year, she underwent surgery upon medical advice to resolve the issue and recently secured a silver medal at the Belgium Open, returning to the international podium after several years.
Having missed previous NIAG events due to international schedule conflicts, Lo, now a graduate student at Fu Jen Catholic University, competed as a "NIAG rookie." She defeated Wang Wei-chia from Changhua Normal University 2-1 to secure the gold. The 115th NIAG will officially take place from May 2 to 6 at Central University.
In a post-match interview, Lo revealed that she had strained her right thigh during pre-tournament training but managed to rest sufficiently. She mentioned she would undergo Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment tomorrow to prepare for upcoming matches, joking about her age at 24. "Recovery isn't as fast as before; I feel very sore the day after a match."
Lo added that she has been watching videos and mimicking the techniques of Mona Kimura to gain more experience. Having overcome her injuries, she realized that "losing is not scary" and now focuses on growth regardless of the outcome. Her coach, Liu Tsung-ta, noted the immense pressure she faces as a top athlete in Taiwan, where everyone aims to challenge her. Lo stated she tries to ignore external noise and stay focused on herself and her coach.
Known as the "National Girlfriend," Lo gained fame after winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. However, she has struggled with a fatigue fracture in her left foot in recent years. Last year, she underwent surgery upon medical advice to resolve the issue and recently secured a silver medal at the Belgium Open, returning to the international podium after several years.
Having missed previous NIAG events due to international schedule conflicts, Lo, now a graduate student at Fu Jen Catholic University, competed as a "NIAG rookie." She defeated Wang Wei-chia from Changhua Normal University 2-1 to secure the gold. The 115th NIAG will officially take place from May 2 to 6 at Central University.
In a post-match interview, Lo revealed that she had strained her right thigh during pre-tournament training but managed to rest sufficiently. She mentioned she would undergo Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment tomorrow to prepare for upcoming matches, joking about her age at 24. "Recovery isn't as fast as before; I feel very sore the day after a match."
Lo added that she has been watching videos and mimicking the techniques of Mona Kimura to gain more experience. Having overcome her injuries, she realized that "losing is not scary" and now focuses on growth regardless of the outcome. Her coach, Liu Tsung-ta, noted the immense pressure she faces as a top athlete in Taiwan, where everyone aims to challenge her. Lo stated she tries to ignore external noise and stay focused on herself and her coach.