Taiwan’s badminton men’s doubles heroes Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin, returned to their alma mater this week to celebrate the new road that the public petitioned to be named after them.
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Taiwan’s Olympic gold medal-winning badminton duo, Lee Yang (李洋) and Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟), returned to their alma mater, Zhongshan Junior High School, on Tuesday for a special unveiling ceremony. A section of the street outside the school has been officially renamed Lin Yang Way as a tribute to their achievements on the global stage.
Excitement filled the air as the athletes pulled down the cloth to reveal the new sign—nearly knocking it over in the process. The name change was initiated by a petition from residents living near the school. Lee and Wang celebrated the honor, the first time in Taipei’s history that a road name change was initiated through a public petition.
Students packed the hallways for a chance to see their gold-medal-winning seniors.
Looking back on their training days, Wang recalled grueling early-morning drills, joking about a time he ran laps after eating too much and had to throw up. Lee reflected on their past training routines, saying it was nostalgic to see younger students still following the same drills.
Among those in attendance was Wang’s fiancée, showing her support for the milestone. As Wang sets his sights on the upcoming Asian Games, Lee, now retired, hopes to mentor young athletes and pass on the determination and resilience that defined the Lin and Yang partnership.