Lin Yu-tang (long jumper)

Lin Yu-tang (林昱堂; born 11 May 2000) is a Taiwanese long jumper. He was the 2023 indoor and outdoor Asian Champion in the long jump. In 2023, he set a Chinese Taipei record leap of 8.40 m, qualifying him for his first Olympic Games in Paris.

Career
Lin's career began at the U20 level, where he won the silver medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 2018 Asian U20 Championships and finished 4th in the long jump individually. He first represented Chinese Taipei internationally at the 2019 World University Games, where he qualified for the finals and finished 8th.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan, Lin did not compete outside the Republic of China again until 2023, winning his first gold medal at the Asian Indoor Championships. It was the second gold medal Taiwan had ever won at an Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, after that of pole vaulter Hsieh Chia-han in 2014.

Lin would go on to compete at the Asian Athletics Championships that year. At the competition, Lin broke his track spikes after his second jump, but he was able to recover because his secret was bringing two pairs of running shoes to every meet. He defeated Indian favorite Murali Sreeshankar and became the third Taiwanese athlete in any sport to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Lin's winning mark of 8.40 m was also a Taiwanese record. "I know he is a good jumper, still it was a surprise for me", commented Sreeshankar about Lin after his loss.

Lin competed in his first World Championships later that summer in Budapest, but he only achieved a best of 7.45 m in qualifying and did not advance to the final. At the Asian Games the following month, Lin qualified for the long jump final and finished 5th with a 7.91 m mark. He also competed in the 4 × 100 m relay, where his team finished 6th in the final.

Personal life
Lin is from Penghu. Republic of China He attended Chang Jung Christian University.