View source for Chuang Chih-yuan

{{short description|Taiwanese table tennis player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox table tennis player
| name = Chuang Chih-yuan
| image = Mondial Ping - Men's Doubles - Semifinals - 23.jpg
| caption = Chuang at the 2013 World Championships
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1981|4|2}}
| birth_place = [[Kaohsiung]], Taiwan<ref name="ITTF biography"/>
| height = 1.69 m<ref name="2014AG">{{cite web|title=Athlete's Profile|url=http://www.incheon2014ag.org/Sports/Biographies/Athletes_Profile/?ParticCode=5107811&lang=en|work=2014 Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee|access-date=4 October 2014|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006075010/http://www.incheon2014ag.org/Sports/Biographies/Athletes_Profile/?ParticCode=5107811&lang=en|archive-date=6 October 2014}}</ref>
| playingstyle= Right-handed shakehand grip
| equipment =
| club = [[TTC RhönSprudel Fulda-Maberzell]]
| hrank= 3 (December 2003)<ref name="ITTF ranking">{{cite web |url=http://www.ittf.com/ittf_ranking/world_ranking_per_name.asp?Siniors=1&Player_ID=101820 |title=ITTF world ranking |publisher=ITTF |access-date=2010-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616204458/http://www.ittf.com/ittf_ranking/world_ranking_per_name.asp?Siniors=1&Player_ID=101820 |archive-date=2011-06-16 }}</ref>
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[table tennis]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{TPE}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[World Table Tennis Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[2013 World Table Tennis Championships|2013 Paris]] | [[2013 World Table Tennis Championships – Men's doubles|Doubles]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships|2014 Tokyo]] | [[2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships – Men's team|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2024 World Team Table Tennis Championships|2024 Busan]]|[[2024 World Team Table Tennis Championships – Men's team|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Table Tennis World Cup|World Cup]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 2013 Guangzhou | Team}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Asian Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2002 Asian Games|2002 Busan]] | [[Table tennis at the 2002 Asian Games – Men's singles|Singles]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[1998 Asian Games|1998 Bangkok]] | [[Table tennis at the 1998 Asian Games – Men's team|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze | 2002 Busan | [[Table tennis at the 2002 Asian Games – Men's team|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[Table tennis at the 2006 Asian Games|2006 Doha]] | [[Table tennis at the 2006 Asian Games – Men's doubles|Doubles]]}}
{{MedalBronze | 2006 Doha | [[Table tennis at the 2006 Asian Games – Men's team|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[Table tennis at the 2014 Asian Games|2014 Incheon]] | [[Table tennis at the 2014 Asian Games – Men's singles|Singles]]}}
{{MedalBronze | 2014 Incheon | [[Table tennis at the 2014 Asian Games – Men's team|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[Table tennis at the 2018 Asian Games|2018 Jakarta]] | [[Table tennis at the 2018 Asian Games – Men's team|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[Table tennis at the 2022 Asian Games|2022 Hangzhou]]|[[Table tennis at the 2022 Asian Games – Men's doubles|Doubles]]}}
{{MedalBronze|2022 Hangzhou|[[Table tennis at the 2018 Asian Games – Men's team|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Asian Table Tennis Championships|Asian Championships]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2000 Asian Table Tennis Championships|2000 Doha]] | Team}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2003 Asian Table Tennis Championships|2003 Bangkok]] | Team}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2021 Asian Table Tennis Championships|2021 Doha]] | Singles}}
{{MedalSilver | 2021 Doha | Team}}
{{MedalSilver | [[2023 Asian Table Tennis Championships|2023 Pyeongchang]] | Team}}
{{MedalBronze | [[2007 Asian Table Tennis Championships|2007 Yangzhou]] | Doubles}}
{{MedalBronze | 2007 Yangzhou | Team}}
{{MedalBronze | [[2013 Asian Table Tennis Championships|2013 Busan]] | Team}}
{{MedalBronze | [[2015 Asian Table Tennis Championships|2015 Pattaya]] | Singles}}
{{MedalBronze | 2015 Pattaya | Team}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Asian Cup Table Tennis Tournament|Asian Cup]]}}
{{MedalBronze|2013 Hong Kong|Singles}}
{{MedalBronze|2022 Bangkok|Singles}}
}}
{{family name hatnote|[[Zhuang (surname)|Chuang]]|lang=Chinese}}
'''Chuang Chih-yuan''' ({{zh|t=莊智淵|p=Zhuāng Zhìyuān|first=t}}; born 2 April 1981) is a Taiwanese [[table tennis]] player.<ref name="ITTF biography">{{cite web |url=http://www.ittf.com/biography/biography_web_details.asp?Player_ID=101820 |title=ITTF Biography |publisher=ITTF |access-date=2010-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928083751/http://www.ittf.com/biography/biography_web_details.asp?Player_ID=101820 |archive-date=2011-09-28 }}</ref> He won the [[ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals]] in 2002 and doubles title at the [[2013 World Table Tennis Championships]]. He participated in the [[Table tennis at the Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]] six times, making the most appearances at the Olympic Games among Taiwanese athletes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/statistics/participation|title=Participations by athlete|website=olympedia.org|access-date=16 May 2022}}</ref>

==Career in table tennis==
Chuang's parents were both table tennis players in Taiwan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mass-age.com/wpmu/blog/2008/05/16/3187/ |script-title=zh:莊智淵的朋友與敵人 |last=Chou |first=Li-Chiang |date=2008-05-16 |publisher=mass-age.com |language=zh |access-date=2010-07-31 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://epublication.kcg.gov.tw/pictorial_short_content.asp?EPKey=2270 |script-title=zh:高雄新鮮人─莊智淵的桌球世界 |date=2008-08-22 |work=Kaohsiung e-paper |publisher=Kaohsiung City Government |language=zh |access-date=2010-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815184828/http://epublication.kcg.gov.tw/pictorial_short_content.asp?EPKey=2270 |archive-date=2011-08-15 }}</ref> His father was a national doubles champion, and his mother Lee Kuei-mei was a member of the national team. After the end of Lee's career as a player, her son, Chih-yuan, became one of her protégés in table tennis.

Chuang started competing in 1989, at the age of eight.<ref name="ITTF biography" /> From the age of 13 his mother sent him to China for training several times. Chuang first made it to the Taiwan national team in 1998. In 1999, Chuang made his [[World Table Tennis Championships|World Championships]] and [[ITTF Pro Tour]] debut.<ref name="ITTF statistics">{{cite web |url=http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All_events3.asp?ID=1303 |title=ITTF Statistics |publisher=ITTF |access-date=2010-11-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004052439/http://www.ittf.com/ittf_stats/All_events3.asp?ID=1303 |archive-date=2012-10-04 }}</ref> At the end of 2000, his mother decided to let Chuang train in Europe, including France and Germany. The process made his matches a combination of the Chinese and European playing styles.

2002 was a sparkling year in Chuang's career. He reached his first three finals on the [[ITTF Pro Tour|Pro Tour]], but ended them all as the runner-up. He entered the world top ten list in September, won the silver medal at the [[Table tennis at the Asian Games|Asian Games]] and participated in his first [[Table Tennis World Cup|World Cup]]. At the year's end, he consecutively faced the opponents who defeated him in the previous three finals of the Pro Tour, and recorded three straight wins at the [[ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals|Pro Tour Grand Finals]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story.asp?Year=&General_Catigory=&ID=2334&Category=&Competition_ID=&Player_ID=101820& |title=Learning the hard way |author=Peter Jensen |date=2002-12-13 |publisher=ITTF |access-date=2010-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616210426/http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story.asp?Year=&General_Catigory=&ID=2334&Category=&Competition_ID=&Player_ID=101820& |archive-date=2011-06-16 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story.asp?Year=&General_Catigory=&ID=2794&Category=&Competition_ID=&Player_ID=101820& |title=CHUAN out on top |author=Peter Jensen |date=2002-12-15 |publisher=ITTF |access-date=2010-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616210458/http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story.asp?Year=&General_Catigory=&ID=2794&Category=&Competition_ID=&Player_ID=101820& |archive-date=2011-06-16 }}</ref> He defeated [[Jean-Michel Saive]] in the quarter-final, [[Wang Hao (table tennis, born 1983)|Wang Hao]] in the semi-final, and [[Kalinikos Kreanga]] in the final, claiming the title of [[ITTF Pro Tour Grand Finals|Grand Finals]] champion.

Chuang won his first singles title on the [[ITTF Pro Tour|Pro Tour]] at the Brazil Open in 2003, and reached No. 3, the highest world ranking of his career, at the end of the year.<ref name="ITTF ranking" /> He advanced to the quarter-finals in the 2004 Athens [[Table tennis at the Summer Olympics|Olympics]], ending the Games with a loss to [[Wang Hao (table tennis, born 1983)|Wang Hao]].<ref name=":0">{{cite Sports-Reference |url= https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ch/chuan-chih-yuan-1.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200326110613/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ch/chuan-chih-yuan-1.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 2020-03-26 |title= Chuang Chih-Yuan |access-date= 2010-07-31}}</ref>  In the men's doubles, he and teammate [[Chiang Peng-lung]] reached the last 16, where they were beaten by [[Lucjan Błaszczyk|Błaszczyk]] and Krzeszewski of Poland.<ref name=":0" />

In July 2008, his own table tennis stadium, Chih Yuan The Ping-Pong Stadium, opened in [[Kaohsiung]], [[Taiwan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chihyuan.url.tw/index.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912231449/http://www.chihyuan.url.tw/index.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 September 2009 |title=Official website of Chih Yuan The Ping-Pong Stadium |language=zh |access-date=2010-07-31 }}</ref>  At [[Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's singles|that year's Olympics]], he was beaten in the third round by [[Yang Zi (table tennis)|Yang Zi]] of Singapore.<ref name=":0" /> He reached the bronze medal match four years later at the [[Table tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's singles|2012 Summer Olympics]], where he lost to [[Dimitrij Ovtcharov]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=11&post=21729|title=Chuang Chih-yuan eyes one last Olympic Games|website=taiwantoday.tw|date=6 May 2016|access-date=16 May 2022}}</ref>

In May 2013, in the [[2013 World Table Tennis Championships|52nd World Table Tennis Championships]] held in Paris, France, Chuang Chih-yuan and [[Chen Chien-an]] defeated [[Hao Shuai]] and [[Ma Lin (table tennis)|Ma Lin]] 9–11, 12–10, 11–6, 13–11, 9–11, 11–8 in the final, and won the men's doubles title.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2013/05/21/2003562781|title=Taiwan scores first table tennis gold in Paris win|work=Taipei Times|date=21 May 2013|access-date=1 December 2024}}</ref> Chuang and Chen became the first athletes in Taiwan to win any World Table Tennis Championships titles. In the following year, Chuang helped Chinese Taipei men's team reach semifinals at the [[2014 World Team Table Tennis Championships|World Team Table Tennis Championships]], making Taiwanese record in the men's team event.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=35296&Competition_ID=2278&|title=Split Second, One Magic Moment Decides Fate for Chinese Taipei and Korea|website=ittf.com|date=3 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506033623/http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=35296&Competition_ID=2278&|archive-date=6 May 2014|access-date=1 December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/sport/archives/2014/05/05/2003589614|title=Sports Briefs|work=Taipei Times|date=5 May 2014|access-date=1 December 2024}}</ref>

In September 2019 he announced he will not play anymore for the Chinese Taipei national team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.ltn.com.tw/news/breakingnews/2901791|title=被迫打亞錦賽 莊智淵心酸砲轟：不能用就丟旁邊！|language=zh|website=Liberty Times|date=31 August 2019|access-date=16 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.ltn.com.tw/news/breakingnews/2902944|title=深夜震撼彈 莊智淵宣佈不打東京奧運|language=zh|website=Liberty Times|date=1 September 2019|access-date=16 May 2022}}</ref> It was stated that the main reason for his decision was disagreement with the Chinese Taipei association in that he wants to focus on singles competition and leave a position to youngsters in team events. Chuang returned to the team in 2020, and participated in the Summer Olympics for the fifth time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3853542|title=Taiwanese table tennis veteran reverses Tokyo Olympics decision|website=Taiwan News|date=9 January 2020|access-date=16 May 2022}}</ref> He continued to compete in international tournaments after the [[Table tennis at the 2020 Summer Olympics|Tokyo Olympics]]. In 2022, Chuang clinched the men's singles title at one of the [[World Table Tennis (ITTF)|WTT]] Feeder tournaments at the age of 41.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://focustaiwan.tw/sports/202205160006|title=Taiwan's Chuang Chih-yuan wins men's singles title in U.S.|agency=Central News Agency|date=16 May 2022|access-date=21 June 2022}}</ref>

In 2024, Chuang helped the Chinese Taipei men's team reach the semifinals at the [[2024 World Team Table Tennis Championships|2024 World Team Championships]] for the second time in his career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://worldtabletennis.com/description?artId=3467|title=2022 Finalists Heads Home As Chinese Taipei Lands Historic Medal|website=worldtabletennis.com|access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref> After his sixth Olympic appearance in Paris, Chuang announced his retirement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.rti.org.tw/news/view/id/2011537|title=Table tennis legend Chuang Chih-Yuan reflects on Taiwan's unity through sports|website=Radio Taiwan International|date=7 August 2024|access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref>

==Career summary==
'''Singles''' (as of 27 January 2015):<ref name="ITTF statistics" />
*[[Table tennis at the Summer Olympics|Olympics]]: semi-finals (2012)
*[[World Table Tennis Championships|World Championships]]: round of 16 (2003, 2007)
*[[Table Tennis World Cup|World Cup]] appearances: 10. Best record: quarter-finals (2006, 10)
*[[ITTF World Tour]] titles: 4 (Brazil 2003, Chile 2011, Spanish Open 2012 and Hungarian Open 2016). Runner-up: 10 (Qatar, Japan, Dutch Open 2002; Danish Open 2003; USA, Japan Open 2004; Singapore Open 2006; Austrian, German Open 2008; Hungarian Open 2010)
*[[ITTF World Tour Grand Finals]] appearances: 12. Won in 2002.
*[[Table tennis at the Asian Games|Asian Games]]: runner-up (2002).

==Awards==
*Best Male Athlete Award 2003 and 2012 from [[Sports Affairs Council]], [[Executive Yuan]], [[Taiwan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nownews.com/2003/09/09/10847-1510930.htm |script-title=zh:92體育精英獎／莊智淵擊敗曹錦輝　摘下最佳男運動員 |first=Chiu-Ming |last=Huang |date=2003-09-09 |publisher=NOWnews.com |language=zh |access-date=2010-07-31 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.ltn.com.tw/news/breakingnews/734006 |script-title=zh:莊智淵、許淑淨獲2012最佳運動員 |date=2012-12-06 |publisher=Liberty Times |language=zh |access-date=2016-08-07}}</ref>
*41st [[Ten Outstanding Young Persons]] (2003) from Ten Outstanding Young Persons' Foundation Co., Taiwan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.persons.org.tw/ten5.html |title=Past Winners |publisher=Ten Outstanding Young Persons' Foundation Co. |language=zh |access-date=2010-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009092523/http://www.persons.org.tw/ten5.html |archive-date=2008-10-09 }}</ref>

==Personal life==
On 27 October 2012, Chuang married Gladys Shi in his home town of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.butterfly.tt/info/news/on-27th-october-chuan-chih-yuan-married-gladys-shi |title=ON 27TH OCTOBER CHUAN CHIH-YUAN MARRIED GLADYS SHI |language=en |access-date=2016-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220114519/http://www.butterfly.tt/info/news/on-27th-october-chuan-chih-yuan-married-gladys-shi |archive-date=20 December 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
*{{Sports links}}

{{Footer World Champions Table Tennis Doubles Men}}
{{Footer ITTF World Tour Grand Finals Champions Table Tennis Singles Men}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chuang, Chih-yuan}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Olympic table tennis players for Taiwan]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 1998 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2006 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2010 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2014 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2018 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2022 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Asian Games bronze medalists in table tennis]]
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists in table tennis]]
[[Category:Asian Games silver medalists for Chinese Taipei]]
[[Category:Asian Games bronze medalists for Chinese Taipei]]
[[Category:Asian Games table tennis players for Chinese Taipei]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Kaohsiung]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1998 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2006 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2018 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2022 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Summer World University Games medalists in table tennis]]
[[Category:Taiwanese male table tennis players]]
[[Category:World Table Tennis Championships medalists]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for Chinese Taipei]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games bronze medalists for Chinese Taipei]]
[[Category:Expatriate table tennis people in Japan]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2007 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2020 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:21st-century Taiwanese sportsmen]]
[[Category:Table tennis players at the 2024 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]