Canceled 2026 Taiwan Athletics Open to be held under new name

Taipei, April 13 (CNA) The 2026 Taiwan Athletics Open, which offers Taiwanese athletes an opportunity to compete against their international peers, will be held under a new name after its organizers had earlier announced the event's cancellation.

In a statement issued Monday, the Chinese Taipei Athletics Association said the competition will still take place on June 6-7 at Banqiao Stadium, but under the name "New Taipei City Athletics Open 2026."

The event was given a new name to emphasize its local identity and conform with the international practice of naming World Athletics Tour events after cities, according to the association.

It said it will soon submit the application for the new name to World Athletics.

The development came after Sports Minister Lee Yang (李洋) said Thursday that the ministry would actively assist the association in organizing the event using the Sports Development Fund, which supports athlete development and international competitions.

The association had announced on Wednesday that the Taiwan Athletics Open would be canceled because the Sports Ministry's fiscal year 2026 budget had yet to be cleared by the Legislature.

Since its inauguration in 1973, the Taiwan Athletics Open has served as a platform for domestic athletes to compete with top international competitors and elevate their performances.

In 2024, the meet was classified by World Athletics as a Continental Tour Bronze-level event, allowing athletes to earn world ranking points.

Among the overseas competitors it has attracted over the years were Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse, the men's 200-meter gold medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and Polish hammer thrower Anita Włodarczyk, a three-time Olympic gold medalist.

The 2026 edition of the meet has been upgraded to Continental Tour Silver, making Taiwan one of the few Asian countries, along with China, India and Israel, to host a meet at that level.

To meet those criteria, organizers must hold at least 12 events, including at least five each for men and women, and include both jumping and throwing disciplines. Each event must also feature at least three athletes ranked within the world's top 100 competing together.

The meet offers Taiwanese athletes a key opportunity to boost their world rankings and qualify for the Asian Games in Japan in late September, as the World Athletics ranking and qualification window typically closes in late June.