TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Gymnast Tang Chia-hung (唐嘉鴻) ranked second with a score of 14.93 at the Paris Olympics high bar qualifier on Saturday (July 27).

Dubbed “King of Cats,” Tang chose a routine with a difficulty score of 6.3 and received an execution score of 8.63, resulting in a total score of 14.93, per CNA. He ranked second behind China's Zhang Boheng (張博恆), who scored 15.13 with a routine difficulty of 6.5.

After his landing, Tang raised his arm in celebration. “My family and sister came to support me, along with officials from the delegation. I am very grateful for their support,” he said.

The 27-year-old gymnast said he had spent more time abroad than in Taiwan over the past six months. “Before taking the stage today, I reminded myself that I had practiced this difficult routine to perfection. I had to believe in myself and perform boldly,” he said.

Despite qualifying in second place, Tang said he was not entirely satisfied. “There were still some minor flaws in today's routine. I will train hard before the final.”

Tang also jokingly mentioned that he had chatted with several competitors who, like him, had been eliminated in the qualifiers at the Tokyo Olympics. “I'm happy that we all made it through this time. It feels like a bit of a revenge mission," he said. “I finally overcame my inner demons.”

The men’s high bar final will be held on Aug. 5. More information on gymnastics qualifications can be found here.