1. Overview
Tu Kai-wen (杜凱文Dù KǎiwénChinese) is a Taiwanese judoka who has represented Chinese Taipei in numerous international competitions. His career highlights include earning silver medals at both the 2010 Asian Junior Judo Championships and the 2010 East Asian Judo Championships. He also notably competed in the Men's 66 kg event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
2. Life
Tu Kai-wen's personal background and significant early career events laid the foundation for his competitive judo journey.
2.1. Birth and Early Career
Tu Kai-wen was born on June 28, 1991, in Taichung, Taiwan. His judo career began to gain prominence in 2008 when he was selected to represent the Chinese Taipei junior national team. In the same year, he participated in the 2008 World Junior Judo Championships held in Bangkok, Thailand, competing in the -66 kg category. There, he defeated Humaid Al Darai of the United Arab Emirates and Nam Gyu-tae of South Korea before being eliminated by Hugo Legrand of France. Later in 2008, he competed in the International Junior Judo Tournament in Taipei, Taiwan, where he secured a bronze medal in the -66 kg division, finishing behind Davaasuren Dulguun of Mongolia and Ho Je-wi of Chinese Taipei.
In 2009, Tu Kai-wen continued his junior international career by participating in the 2009 World Junior Judo Championships in Paris, France. He achieved victories against Vladislav Nemerenco of Moldova, Armando Alvarez of Venezuela, and Israel Verdugo of Ecuador. However, his progress was halted by Junpei Morishita of Japan. In the subsequent repechage round, he was defeated by Zsolt Goryanacz of Hungary, ultimately finishing tied for seventh place alongside Denis Yartsev of Russia.
3. Major Activities and Achievements
Tu Kai-wen's career is marked by consistent participation and notable performances in a variety of international judo tournaments, culminating in his representation at the Olympic Games.
3.1. International Competition Participation
In May 2010, Tu Kai-wen competed in the 2010 Asian Junior Judo Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, where he advanced to the final match. He ultimately earned a silver medal after being defeated by Naurizbek Malishev of Kazakhstan. The following month, in June 2010, he was promoted to the senior national team and participated in the 2010 East Asian Judo Championships held in Macau. He reached the final of this prestigious event but was defeated by Shoga Maeda of Japan, securing another silver medal. In December of the same year, Tu Kai-wen competed in the Judo Grand Prix in Qingdao, China, where he overcame Kim Hyeong-ju of South Korea but was subsequently eliminated after a loss to Leandro Cunha of Brazil.
In April 2012, Tu Kai-wen took part in the 2012 Asian Judo Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where he faced defeats from Sergiy Lim of Kazakhstan and Islam Bayalinov of Kyrgyzstan, leading to his elimination from the tournament. Later that year, in July, he was selected as an Olympic representative for Chinese Taipei at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Competing in the Men's 66 kg event, he was defeated in his first match by Khashbaataryn Tsagaanbaatar of Mongolia, a bronze medalist from the 2004 Athens Olympics. Following the Olympics, in November 2012, he competed in the Judo Grand Prix in Qingdao, China, where he lost to Kim Ho-young of South Korea. He also participated in the Judo Grand Slam in Tokyo, Japan, representing Chinese Taipei, but was defeated by Bakdaulet Sabitov of Kazakhstan. His competitive year concluded in December 2012 at the Judo World Cup in Jeju City, South Korea, where he was eliminated after losses to Cho Jun-ho and Hwang Bo-bae, both from South Korea.
3.2. Medals and Awards
Throughout his career, Tu Kai-wen earned several significant medals in international judo competitions.
- Silver Medal: 2010 East Asian Judo Championships, Men's -66 kg (Macau)
- Silver Medal: 2010 Asian Junior Judo Championships, Men's -66 kg (Bangkok)
4. Personal Information
Publicly available details about Tu Kai-wen include his physical attributes. He stands at a height of 67 in (169 cm) and competes at a weight of 146 lb (66 kg).
5. Assessment
Tu Kai-wen's career demonstrates his dedication and consistent presence on the international judo circuit. From his early days as a junior national team member, he steadily progressed, achieving notable success at the regional level, including two silver medals in major Asian championships. His participation in the 2012 London Olympics represents the pinnacle of his competitive journey, showcasing his ability to compete at the highest level of the sport. While he did not medal at the Olympics, his consistent qualification for and participation in prestigious events like the Grand Prix and Grand Slam tournaments highlight his status as a formidable competitor in the -66 kg category within the global judo community.