The five-day 2008 National Middle School Atheletic Games drew to a close on April 30th. The closing ceremony was held at the Performance Hall of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Nantou County. The Nantou County government has received wide recognition for its efforts to organize and host the competition and is proud to announce the receipt of 24 gold medals, 22 silver and 23 bronze medals this year, ranking sixth in the country. At the closing ceremony, County Magistrate Chao-ching Lee expressed his thanks to the sponsoring companies, referees, coaches and all participants for making the nation-wide competition-- held first time in Nantou County-- a wonderful success.   In his speech, Magistrate Lee said that the mission from the beginning of hosting the competition was to provide quality service to its contestants. Every event was designed with detailed planning and executed with great care, including the design of the medals and awards, the choice of event locations, transportation services, and gourmet specialties, with the aim of leaving the participants with a positive impression of Nantou County.   Ming-zhong Jian, head of the Department of Physical Education in the Ministry of Education, in his speech also praised the Nantou government for its commitment and excellence in organizing this year's competition. Jian said that organizing and hosting a large-scale competition is a difficult task in itself, and he was thoroughly impressed with the efforts and results of the Nantou County government. He added that this year's competition has set a high standard in terms of overall quality, innovation and design for future organizers.   The closing ceremony opened with a musical performance by the music ensemble of Caotun Junior High School. Representatives from 25 cities and counties throughout the nation gathered to celebrate the closing of this special event. The county government also invited students from Pu Lee Juniot High School to perform an aboriginal dance, conveying the enthusiasm and hope of the people of Nantou. During the ceremony, video clips featuring special moments of the competition were being played, and all outstanding scores and records were announced.