Weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun receives 2019 Sports Elite Award

Taipei, Dec. 19 (CNA) Weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun (郭婞淳) received the 2019 Sports Elite Award for best female athlete Thursday, making her the only athlete to have won the honor three times.

Kuo, who beat badminton star Tai Tzu-ying (戴資穎) to win the award, previously received the honor in 2013 and 2017.

Kuo, who donned a red outfit and was invited by the Sports Administration to present the award, was surprised by the accolade, saying although she did not expect to win she was happy her efforts in weightlifting were recognized.

Kuo said she hopes to win medals at the Tokyo Olympics next year.

In the recent International Weightlifting Federation World Cup held from Dec. 10-13 in Tianjin, China, Kuo won two silver medals in the women's 64kg category, and a gold in 141kg clean and jerk, defeating defending champion Deng Wei (鄧薇) of China.

In September, she broke world records to take two golds and one silver medal in the clean and jerk and combined total at the World Weightlifting Championships held in Pattaya, Thailand.

In April, she took three gold medals in the women's 59kg category at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Ningbo, China.