Eager Fans Greet Mainland Olympians In HK

Mainland Olympians on a three-day-visit to Hong Kong got a warm welcome from members of the public as they gave sports demonstrations on Saturday morning.

The athletes, who competed in the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year, showcased their skills in diving, fencing, badminton and more sports at the Victoria Park Swimming Pool and the Queen Elizabeth Stadium.

A boy said he came to watch his table tennis idol, five-time Olympics gold medalist Ma Long.

“As long as I get to watch Ma Long, I’ll be happy. I even skipped my hobby class. I've wanted to learn table tennis since I was young,” he said.

A woman who managed to get a ticket to the show at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium is also a fan of Ma Long.

“Ma Long is superb. He’s 33 years old now and people say he is going to retire soon. But I hope he won’t retire now and will compete in the 2024 Olympics games, because he’s still very competitive. It’d be a pity if he retires. If he doesn’t retire, he can pass on his experience to the younger players,” she said.

A woman who attended the swimming and diving shows at the Victoria Park Swimming Pool said she preferred watching other demonstrations, but couldn’t get a ticket.

“I wanted to watch Ma Long and Xu Xin, because they’re both very handsome. But I missed out on getting tickets. But watching diving is also good,” she said.

A mainland student studying in Hong Kong said it wasn’t too difficult to get a ticket, adding that the athletes are the pride of the country and it’s worth watching their performances.

The athletes will have to observe strict anti-epidemic measures and - unlike similar trips in previous years - won't be allowed to go shopping amid the pandemic.

Some of the Olympians also attended sharing sessions with students, as well as members of the disciplinary forces on Saturday, and joined a variety show at Queen Elizabeth Stadium.

The delegation will leave Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon.

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