Taiwanese canoeist Lai Kuan-chieh has been blazing a trail by becoming the country’s first Olympic athlete in his sport. And with the Paris Olympics fast approaching, Lai is gearing up to compete at the world’s largest sporting event.
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00:00Lai Kuan-jie is Taiwan's first Olympic canoeist.
00:04He has spent months gearing up to represent his country at this year's Games in Paris.
00:08Every morning before he even starts canoeing, he warms up with a three-kilometer run.
00:13I really don't like to run, and I don't like to do aerobics.
00:18Aerobics is boring for me.
00:21But it's also a way to build my patience.
00:23The most important thing is to stay calm.
00:26Athletes like Lai rely on endurance training to reach new levels in their sport.
00:30His coach says he has made a lot of progress, but it's taken some time to get to where
00:34he is now.
00:35I've been studying for about half a year, or a year, to slowly adjust myself.
00:39Then, when I'm ready to go into long-distance training, I'll bring in some of my classes
00:44and keep training until now.
00:46Actually, that's not a short period of time.
00:48It took me about three or four years to get to where I am now.
00:52Lai says being the first Olympic canoeist from his country has put more weight on his
00:56shoulders.
00:57But he's determined to work through the added pressure.
00:59A lot of people pay attention to me and pay attention to whether I'm under pressure.
01:05But I think every athlete will face pressure.
01:09I don't think I can go to the market because I'm under pressure.
01:13Lai carries more than just the burden of his newfound fame.
01:16The athlete's mother passed away before she could see him hit this major milestone.
01:20He promised her that he would strive for excellence in his sport, and one day make
01:24it to the Olympics.
01:25To this day, he still sends her text messages to report on his progress.
01:30I'm used to this kind of conversation, which makes me feel more at ease.
01:35After winning gold at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, Lai got a tattoo of a lion.
01:40The lion symbolizes courage.
01:42For me, I need to face every challenge with courage.
01:46I don't want to run away or give up.
01:49The crown symbolizes that I can do well in every challenge.
01:55With just one week to go before this year's Summer Olympics begin, Lai is determined to
01:59put everything he has into competing with the best of the best in his sport.
02:02And as he continues to blaze a trail for his country, his fans and followers at home will
02:07be watching to see if he brings home the gold for Taiwan.
02:10Andy Xue and Wesley Lewis for Taiwan Plus.