Hong Kong, China, September 1, 2024: A three-day visit to Hong Kong by Chinese Olympians from the Paris 2024 Olympics Games concluded on Saturday, August 31.
The Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China held a luncheon at the Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel to bid farewell to the delegation.
Among the attending guests were Mr John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr Gao Zhidan, Director of the General Administration of Sport of China, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee and head of the visiting delegation; senior officials from the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; and Mr Timothy Fok, President of SF&OC.
Mr Fok expressed his gratitude to all parties for their efforts in arranging the delegation’s visit to Hong Kong, which fully demonstrated the Central Government’s care for the city.
Mr Fok said: “In the past few days, the national athletes have showcased their exceptional skills at the sports demonstration sessions and interacted with Hong Kong people, which strengthened their patriotic spirit and passion for sports.
“Hong Kong athletes have also benefited a lot from the exchanges. Hong Kong’s sports development hinges heavily on our country. While athletes from the national team and Hong Kong are rivals at competitions, they truly respect each other. Together we will be stronger and make more legends on the international stage.”
China achieved remarkable results at Paris 2024, taking home 40 gold, 27 silver and 24 bronze medals. The delegation visited Hong Kong from August 29-31 and comprised of 65 athletes and eight coaches from 16 sports.
On Saturday, 11 athletes and one coach participated in a youth exchange event, which was co-organised by the Hong Kong Olympic Fan Club (HKOFC) and Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU). The national athletes shared their Olympic experiences with over 100 young Hong Kong people. Current and retired Hong Kong athletes were also among the participants sharing their stories on Olympic spirit.
Sun Yingsha (table tennis), LI Yuehong (shooting), Xu Shixiao (canoeing), Yang Jiayu (athletics) and Hangzhou Asian Games MVP Zhang Yufei (swimming) took turns to share their stories of their Olympic journey.
Recalling how they weathered tough times and overcame challenges in pursuit of their goal, they encouraged young people to remain resilient in the face of adversity and rise to any challenges ahead.
This session was followed by an interactive group exchange, with other national athletes Li Wenwen (weightlifting), Deng Yawen (cycling BMX), Luo Shifang (weightlifting), Xie Yu (shooting) and Sun Jiaqi (cycling), together with Wang Guoxin, coach of the national weightlifting team.
They were joined by Chiu Hin Chun (rowing), who represented Hong Kong, China at Paris 2024, Leung Kwan Yi (athletics), Lee Chun Ho (karate), Lam Hin Chung (fencing), Zhang Ling (tennis), Sung Man To (modern pentathlon), Li Ken (pétanque) and Ng Chi Ching Hazel (rope skipping).
SF&OC Vice President Kenneth Fok said: “The national team achieved its best performance abroad in history at Paris 2024. Athletes made breakthroughs by breaking the world records or Olympic records in shooting, swimming and weightlifting.
“Each of them has a unique story to tell, but they share the same dream for Olympics with their unparalleled determination. Joining us today are local athletes and students from various institutions and organizations, who are passionate about sports. Through the valuable exchanges, I believe young people will learn from the athletes’ inspirational stories and have a deeper understanding on the true meaning of the Olympic spirit.”
