World Masters Games announce torchbearers at opening ceremony

Taipei, May 12 (CNA) The torchbearers at the World Masters Games' opening ceremony in Taiwan on Saturday will include baseball legend Peng Cheng-min (彭政閔), centenarian shuttler Lin Yu-mao (林友茂) and Olympic boxing gold medalist Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷).

The three announced Monday by the event's sporting committee were among the five torchbearers set to appear at the ceremony, with the other two to be announced "in due course."

The torchbearers will play a key role in conveying the 2025 event's motto, which is "Sports beyond Age & Life without Limits," the World Masters Games 2025 Taipei and New Taipei City Organizing Committee said in a news release.

According to the committee, the three individuals named were chosen to carry the torch because they each embodied one of the following values -- sports, youth, technology, culture and inclusion.

Symbolizing "sports," Peng is a former star player for the CTBC Brothers in Taiwan's professional baseball league.

Known for his consistency at the plate and strong leadership, he was beloved by fans and played for Taiwan in numerous international competitions, the committee said.

Lin Yu-ting, who won gold in the women's boxing's 57-kilogram division at the Paris Olympics in 2024, symbolizes "youth."

Meanwhile, Lin Yu-mao is a great representation of "inclusion," the committee said. It said the 104-year-old athlete, the Guinness World Records-certified oldest badminton player, was into other sports when he was younger, including track and field and volleyball.

He later turned to playing badminton at the age of 50, it said.

In the release, Lin Yu-mao was quoted as saying that he especially enjoys the thrill of smashing the shuttlecock and getting applause from the crowd.

The 2025 World Masters Games in Taipei and New Taipei will be held from May 17 to 31.

More than 2,000 athletes aged 65 and above will compete in this year's games, with 15 participants aged 90 and above, including eight from Taiwan, according to a Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism release on April 28.