The two-week World Masters Games 2025 Taipei & New Taipei City officially concluded today (May 30th). During the event, the New Taipei City Government Secretariat welcomed over 100 distinguished guests from 16 delegations representing six countries, including Germany, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. Some guests not only took part in various World Masters Games activities but also competed —winning gold and exemplifying the spirit of sports without borders. To offer a deeper glimpse into New Taipei’s local charm, the city also organized cultural tours to Yingge, Jiufen, and Wulai, promoting both tourism and international exchange.
 

Naoki Inoue wins gold in the Men’s 50+ Hammer Throw (6 kg) event at the World Masters Games. (Source: World Masters Games 2025 Taipei & New Taipei City Organizing Committee)

Among the guests, Naoki Inoue, a city councilor from Wakayama, Japan, with longstanding ties to New Taipei’s Banqiao District, claimed the gold medal in the Men’s 50+ Hammer Throw (6 kg) event at this year’s World Masters Games. Alexa Loo, Acting Mayor of Richmond, British Columbia, and a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, has been a vocal advocate for Canadian athletes since entering public service. During her visit to Taiwan, she attended a badminton match at Taipei Gymnasium to cheer on Team EverYoung from Canada. The passion and sportsmanship displayed by the veteran athletes left a lasting impression on all in attendance.
 

Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Alexa Loo (seventh from left) poses with Canadian badminton athletes.

To help first-time visitors to Taiwan gain a deeper understanding of local culture, the New Taipei City Government Secretariat collaborated with the Cultural Affairs Department and the Banqiao District Office to organize cultural excursions, including visits to Yingge’s ceramics district, Jiufen in Ruifang, and the release of sky lanterns in Shifen. Meanwhile, the Wulai District Office hosted the sister city delegation from Shiranuka, Hokkaido, Japan, for a tour of the Wulai Atayal Museum to showcase New Taipei’s rich Indigenous culture. The visiting delegation also performed the traditional Shiranuka Horse Dance in the museum plaza, further strengthening Taiwan-Japan ties through cultural exchange and heritage sharing.

The New Taipei City Government Secretariat noted that the World Masters Games not only demonstrated the city’s strong commitment to sports but also served as a platform to elevate New Taipei’s international profile. The Games injected new momentum into the city’s cultural tourism and city diplomacy efforts through cultural and diplomatic exchanges.
 

Banqiao District Executive Chen Che-chang (center) leads Japanese guests on a tour of Jiufen Old Street.

The Shiranuka delegation from Hokkaido, Japan, presents a captivating Shiranuka Horse Dance performance at the Wulai Atayal Museum.