In a phone call to Chen's mother Wu Hsiao-lin in southern Tainan City, the premier personally lauded Chen for bringing glory to the country by winning the bronze medal in the women's 48 kg-class weightlifting event, the country's fourth Olympic weightlifting medal in 24 years.

The premier said Chen's capturing the medal has brought new glory and pride for the nation.

Liu also instructed his chief-of-staff, Hsueh Hsiang-chuan, to pay Wu a visit at her home and present her with a plaque for her daughter on his behalf bearing the inscription of Chinese characters "Winning Glory for the Nation."

Hsueh said Chen has helped boost the morale of all members on the Chinese Taipei team from Taiwan in the fierce contests with the best athletes from around the world.

He expressed admiration for Wu, who single-handedly brought up Chen and her two elder sisters after her husband died in a car crash when Chen was only two years old.

The mother now still mans a stall selling sushi at a local market.

Showing off various medals her daughter has won during her sporting career of 11 years, the proud mother told Hsieh she has been overwhelmed with congratulatory phone calls since her daughter won the medal in Beijing.

Both President Ma Ying-jeou and Vice President Vincent Siew sent their congratulations while Tainan Mayor Hsu Tain-tsair presented a red scroll proclaiming Chen as "Pride of Taiwan" one day earlier.

However, Wu said she is worried about her daughter's future career as an athlete after the Beijing Olympics and asked Hsieh to help Chen land a steady job.

Wu preferred that her daughter can work as a public school teacher rather than a sports coach, which is the only option for most medal-winning athletes while coaching has been thought by many as an unstable job in Taiwan.

Hsueh promised that the government will try its best to provide assistance without elaborating on how he plans to do this.

Wu Chun-cheh, secretary-general of the Cabinet-level Sports Affairs Council who accompanied Hsieh on the visit, said that as an Olympic medalist, Chen is qualified to coach the national team.

But Chen may teach at ordinary schools after she completes necessary teaching and education courses at university to obtain teaching credentials.

Chen, 26, is one of 80-odd members of the Taiwan Olympic team that is competing at the Beijing Olympics.

She thanked her coach Zhang Jiamin from China, for the training and providing confidence in her during the competition.

Taiwan hired Zhang away from Thailand to the island only about one year ago after he helped the Thai team garner a couple of Olympic medals four years ago.

Chen is entitled to a separate national cash award of NT$5 million given by the government to honor athletes who perform with excellence at international competitions.

She said all the prize money will be presented to her mother who has sacrificed for her and her two sisters for too long.

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