46. Rafer Johnson and Taiwanese Olympian C.K. Yang in 1960: journalist Mike Chinoy and filmmaker Frank W. Chen

The Taiwan Take

“Decathlon: The CK Yang & Rafer Johnson Story” 《奧運傳奇：楊傳廣與強生》is a tribute to one of the greatest Taiwanese Olympians - C.K. Yang - and his American rival and long-time friend, Rafer Johnson.

At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, C.K. Yang (Yang Chuan-kwang 楊傳廣) won silver and became the first person with a Chinese surname to win an Olympic medal. Rafer Johnson carried the flag for the U.S.A national team and was the first black American to do so.

The 45-minute film - 18 years in making - was released in August 2024 during the Paris Olympics. Directed by Frank W Chen. Written by Mike Chinoy and John Krich. Interview footage with C.K. Yang, Tom Brokaw, Chi Cheng, Michael Eaves, and more.

Mike Chinoy is an American journalist who spent 24 years as a foreign correspondent for CNN. He was CNN’s first bureau chief in Beijing, and has won the Emmy, the Dupond, and the Peabody Awards for his coverage of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. He is the author of five books. He currently lives in Taipei.

Frank W. Chen is a Taiwanese-Canadian documentary filmmaker. His previous film, “Late Life” (2018) on the Taiwanese MLB pitcher Wang Chien-Ming (New York Yankees, 2005-2007) was nominated for a Golden Horse Award and won audience awards in Los Angeles and Vancouver.

Stream the film here on TaiwanPlus Docs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usbdC5v3LX8

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