Chiu Yuh-chuan

Taiwanese weightlifter

Chiu Yuh-chuan

Personal information

Native name| 邱毓川
Nationality| Taiwanese
Born|  (1960-08-21) 21 August 1960 (age 64)
Sport
Sport| Weightlifting

Chiu Yuh-chuan (Chinese: 邱毓川; born 21 August 1960) is a Taiwanese weightlifter and coach. He competed in the men's bantamweight event at the 1984 Summer Olympics.[1] Chiu set several national records during his weightlifting career. He taught at Chih Cheng Junior High School in Pingtung and Taipei Physical Education College. By 2000, he had become a national weightlifting coach.

## Biography

[edit]

Chiu's family was heavily involved in sports. His father was a physical education teacher, while his uncle, Chiu Shi-you (Chinese: 邱仕友), was a tennis and gymnastics coach at Fu Hsing Kang College.[2] His older brother, Chiu Yuh-yuan (Chinese: 邱毓源), who was a weightlifter, once had the national record in the snatch event in the 67.5 kg (149 lb) weight division.[2][3] Chiu began weightlifting when he was 14 years old.[4] He represented Pingtung County at Taiwan's Provincial Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Championship in June 1977. He placed first in the flyweight event.[5] In April 1978, Chiu represented Pingtung Wah Chau Commerce and Industry Senior High School [zh] at the National High School Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Championships (Chinese: 全國高中舉重健美錦標賽), where he placed first.[6] That month, Chiu represented Taichung at the National Weightlifting Championships (Chinese: 全國舉重錦標賽), where he placed first in the flyweight division.[7] The next year, he represented Taichung again at the National Weightlifting Championships, where he placed first in the bantamweight division.[8]

During a district weightlifting competition in October 1979, Chiu lifted 85 kg (187 lb) in the snatch event and 107.5 kg (237 lb) in the clean and jerk event. In total, he lifted 192.5 kg (424 lb), which broke the district's prior flyweight record of 190 kg (420 lb).[9] In 1980, he competed in the National Weightlifting Championships in the bantamweight division, where he placed first.[10][11] The next year, he competed in the National Weightlifting Championships in the flyweight division, where he placed first.[12] Lifting a total weight of 195 kg (430 lb), he represented the Provincial Physical Education College (Chinese: 省體專) when he set the national youth record through a snatch of 87.5 kg (193 lb) and a clean and jerk of 107.5 kg (237 lb).[13] During the Taoyuan district games in 1981, Chiu placed first in the clean and jerk and in the total weight.[14] At the 1982 National Weightlifting Championships, Chiu placed first in the bantamweight division.[15]

Chiu competed in April 1983 in the Kaohsiung Mayor's Cup Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Championships (Chinese: 高雄市長杯舉重健美錦標賽). With a clean and jerk of 130.5 kg (288 lb), he broke Tsai Wen-yee's national record of 130 kg (290 lb).[16] Chiu competed as a flyweight in the National Weightlifting Championships and Olympics Athlete Preliminary Selection in April 1983. With a clean and jerk of 125 kg (276 lb), he broke the national record of 120.5 kg (266 lb) and advanced to the next phase of the Olympics selection held in October.[17] He began training in Tainan to prepare for the Olympics selection.[18] Chiu competed in the bantamweight division in the Baosheng Emperor Cup Weightlifting Championships (Chinese: 保生大帝杯舉重錦標賽), where he lifted 131 kg (289 lb) in the clean and jerk and broke a national record.[19] He received the 3rd-level Zhongzheng Sports Medal (Chinese: 中正體育獎章) awarded by the Republic of China Sports Federation [zh] in 1983.[20]

Around 1983, Chiu graduated from the National Taiwan University of Sport. His inability to secure employment for over a year after his university graduation hindered his ability to practice stress-free.[3] Although he owned a co-owned a gym in Pingtung with his brother, he wished to obtain a more consistent job to allow him to concentrate on practicing.[2] Bringing the medals he had won, Chiu met with the Pingtung County education director to seek employment but was turned down because of a lack of teaching roles.[3][21] Chiu had spent almost a year practicing in Tainan and Zuoying District after being chosen for Taiwan's national weightlifting team.[3] He got a monthly stipend of NT$1,000 (US$36).[3] After reviewing media coverage about Chiu's situation, Taipei's Qinyi Trading Company (Chinese: 慶宜貿易有限公司) gave him a job offer in marketing and promotional planning with a monthly salary of NT$18,000 (US$644).[22] Chiu competed in Group B in the men's bantamweight event at the 1984 Summer Olympics where he was 12th out of 20 contestants. After lifting 132.5 kg (292 lb) in the clean and jerk, he set a national record. He lifted 97.5 kg (215 lb) in the snatch, which gave him a combined weight of 230 kg (510 lb) which was a personal record.[23] After Chiu returned home from the Olympics, he was still trying to find a job.[24]

On 25 December 1985, Chiu was driving a minivan in Changzhi in Pingtung when he mistakenly struck a three-year-old girl, Tu Yu-lan (Chinese: 涂毓蘭), at 10:45 am. She had been preparing to walk across the road.[25] Chiu braked but was unable to stop before hitting her.[26] Tu, who sustained serious head injuries, was hospitalised and died.[25] Chiu received a sentence of seven months in prison and a two-year suspended sentence. At the time of his sentencing, he was a physical education instructor at Chih Cheng Junior High School (Chinese: 至正國中屏東) in Pingtung.[26]

Chiu taught at Taipei Physical Education College before resigning in July 2000.[27] Chiu was a national weightlifting coach in 2000 and coached Chen Jui-lien.[28] A 2003 article said he was married to the weightlifter Li Feng-ying.[29]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Chiu Yuh-chuan Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
2. ^ a b c Su, Jia-xiang 蘇嘉祥 (1 August 1984). "邱毓川一咬牙 又推進一公斤 亞洲出人頭地 將是輕而易舉" [Chiu Yuh-chuan Bites the Bullet and Pushes Forward by One Kilogram—Aiming for Greatness in Asia Will Be a Breeze]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). p. 2.
3. ^ a b c d e "舉重國手‧工作難找 邱毓川到屏東縣求職‧碰了壁" [Weightlifting National Team Member: Difficulties Finding Work. Chiu Yuh-chuan Goes Job Hunting in Pingtung County, Faces Rejection]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 7 July 1984. p. 10.
4. ^ Bao, Yong-min 包勇敏 (1 August 1984). "文珊泳技精湛功課好 邱毓川出自體育家庭" [Wen Shan Excels in Swimming and Academics; Chiu Yuh-chuan Comes from a Sports Family]. United Daily News (in Chinese). p. 3.
5. ^ "台灣省舉重賽游英明等奪魁" [Taiwan Province Weightlifting Competition: You Yingming and Others Claim Victory]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 26 June 1977. p. 8.
6. ^ "蔡溫義抓舉破全國" [Tsai Wen-yee Breaks National Record in Weightlifting.]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 2 April 1978. p. 2.
7. ^ "全國舉重錦標賽 蔡溫義兩項破全國" [National Weightlifting Championships: Tsai Wen-yee Breaks National Record in Two Categories]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 10 April 1978. p. 2.
8. ^ "全國舉重十級競技 四名選手獲獎助金" [National Weightlifting Championships: Four Athletes Receive Prize Money]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 25 June 1979. p. 2.
9. ^ "一口氣拿六面金牌 屏東縣樂不可支" [Winning Six Gold Medals in One Go: Pingtung County Overjoyed]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 22 October 1979. p. 2.
10. ^ "舉重三新全國紀錄 蔡溫義個人獨締兩項佳績" [Three New National Records in Weightlifting: Tsai Wen-yee Achieves Two Personal Bests.]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 21 April 1980. p. 3.
11. ^ "全國舉重賽羽量級 一人兩項刷新全國" [National Weightlifting Championship: One Person Sets Two New National Records in the Featherweight Class]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 21 April 1980. p. 5.
12. ^ "全國舉重賽昨大放異彩 蔡溫義一舉三破全國" [National Weightlifting Competition Shines Yesterday: Tsai Wen-yee Breaks Three National Records in One Lift]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 13 April 1981. p. 2.
13. ^ "羽量級舉重 三項破全國" [Featherweight Weightlifting: Three National Records Broken]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 13 April 1981. p. 5.
14. ^ "蠅量級抓舉挺舉 鍾永吉雙料冠軍" [Flyweight Weightlifting: Chung Yung-chi Becomes Dual Champion]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 27 October 1981. p. 3.
15. ^ "舉重選手蔡溫義 鍾永吉 表現優異 刷新六項全國紀錄" [Weightlifters Tsai Wen-yee and Chung Yung-chi Excel with Six New National Records]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 19 April 1982. p. 1.
16. ^ "舉重六破全國 蔡溫義鍾永吉邱毓川各有佳構" [Six National Records Broken in Weightlifting: Tsai Wen-yee, Chung Yung-chi, and Chiu Yuh-chuan Each Achieve Great Result]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 3 April 1983. p. 5.
17. ^ "奧運舉重昨完成初選 五人均打破全國紀錄" [Olympic Weightlifting Preliminary Selection Completed Yesterday, All Five Athletes Broke National Records]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 11 April 1983. p. 3.
18. ^ "舉重準國手 集訓後複選" [Weightlifting National Team Candidate: Re-Selection After Training Camp]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 5 May 1983. p. 5.
19. ^ "四名舉重選手 五破全國紀錄" [Four Weightlifters Break Five National Records]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 18 July 1983. p. 5.
20. ^ "三十九位傑出運動員 將獲頒中正體育獎章" [Thirty-Nine Outstanding Athletes Will Be Awarded the Zhongzheng Sports Medal]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 24 August 1983. p. 2.
21. ^ "舉重國手一職難求,尋尋覓覓坐困愁城 邱毓川入選奧運代表隊,找工作一年多到處碰壁" [Finding a Job as a Weightlifting National Team Member is Challenging; Chiu Yuh-chuan Searches Everywhere and Faces Obstacles After Being Selected for the Olympic Team for Over a Year]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 7 July 1984. p. 3.
22. ^ "舉重國手邱毓川失業 北市一公司願提供工作機會" [Weightlifting Champion Chiu Yuh-chuan Unemployed: A Company in Taipei Offers Job Opportunity]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 11 July 1984. p. 10.
23. ^ "華僑女泳選手文珊二百捷泳新全國超亞運 奧運泳賽成績輝煌第二日又三項新世界紀錄" [Chinese Overseas Female Swimmer Wen Shan Sets New National Record in 200m Butterfly at Asian Games. Outstanding Olympic Swimming Results: Three New World Records on the Second Day]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 1 August 1984. p. 1.
24. ^ Yang, Quanbao 楊權寶 (31 August 1984). "台南體育公園 蔡溫義返南市‧熱心人曝光 施光隆出高徒‧車運放異彩" [Tainan Sports Park: Tsai Wen-yee Returns to Tainan City, Enthusiastic Supporters Shine. Shi Guang-Long Mentors Talented Students. Che Yun Excels]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). p. 2.
25. ^ a b "舉重國手邱毓川 駕車撞斃一女生" [Weightlifting Champion Chiu Yuh-chuan Drives and Kills a Girl with His Car]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 26 December 1985. p. 5.
26. ^ a b "駕車撞死一幼童 邱毓川處刑七月" [Driving Accident Claims the Life of a Young Child. Chiu Yuh-chuan Sentenced to Seven Months]. Min Sheng Bao (in Chinese). 3 April 1986. p. 2.
27. ^ Huang, Xian-you 黃顯祐 (5 July 2000). "邱毓川搶救陳瑞蓮 總統府前散步" [Chiu Yuh-chua Tries to Save Chen Rui-lian: Strolling in Front of the Presidential Office]. United Daily News (in Chinese). p. 29.
28. ^ "城鄉紀事 兩將表態聲援邱毓川" [Urban and Rural Chronicles: Two Generals Express Support for Chiu Yuh-chuan]. United Daily News (in Chinese). 7 July 2000. p. 18.
29. ^ Wang, Shu-heng 王樹衡 (20 October 2003). "《全運會》 黎鋒英一三破全國 抓舉98.5公斤 挺舉127.5公斤 同時超越亞運" ["National Games": Li Feng-ying Breaks National Records. Thrice Snatch: 98.5 kg, Clean and Jerk: 127.5 kg, Surpassing Asian Games Record]. United Evening News [zh] (in Chinese). p. 7.+[zh]&rft.atitle=《全運會》+黎鋒英一三破全國+抓舉98.5公斤+挺舉127.5公斤+同時超越亞運&rft.pages=7&rft.date=2003-10-20&rft.aulast=Wang&rft.aufirst=Shu-heng+王樹衡&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Chiu+Yuh-chuan" class="Z3988">