Mainland Olympians Begin Charm Offensive In HK

The first Chinese sprinter who reached an Olympic 100-metre final, Su Bingtian, said on Friday he's looking forward to a meaningful get-together with Hong Kong people and athletes in the coming days.

He's among 29 Olympic athletes from the national team who kicked off a visit to the SAR on Friday following their success at the Tokyo Games over the summer.

Su, who's from Zhongshan, Guangdong, recalled his first visit to the SAR 15 years ago. He competed in a 100-metre dash and finished in 10.59 seconds, setting the stage for him to turn professional.

The 32-year-old sprinter told reporters that he's been able to compete at a high level because he never forgot the dreams and targets he set out for himself when he was young.

"I sleep at around 10 o'clock, half-10 every night. It's become part of my everyday life, I don't need to force myself to do it... I don't need an alarm clock to wake up in the morning, I know what I should do at what time every day," Su told a press conference.

Table tennis ace and five-time Olympic gold medalist Ma Long said he was particularly touched when the Hong Kong women's team won a bronze medal in Tokyo.

He noted that even though there were no spectators at the Games, the Hong Kong team cheered for the national team when they were playing.

"We worked hard together and were able to share the podium. We took pictures together when the national and SAR flags were flying together, that was a very touching moment," Ma said.

Besides putting on different sport performances on Saturday, some of the athletes will take part in a sharing session at Polytechnic University where they will talk about their stories and struggles over the years.

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.

The delegation will leave Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon.