A delegation of 65 Chinese Olympians, including 59 gold medalists from the Paris 2024 Olympics, is set to visit the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) from August 29 to 31, the HKSAR government announced on Friday.
China achieved its best-ever performance at an overseas Olympics in Paris 2024, securing 40 gold medals. The athletes made significant breakthroughs in several team events, including the artistic swimming team event, women’s rhythmic group all-around gymnastics, and men’s 4x100m medley relay swimming.
Leading the delegation is Gao Zhidan, president of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC), accompanied by eight coaches. The only Olympic champion unable to join the trip is Zheng Qinwen, the women’s singles tennis champion, who is in New York preparing for the U.S. Open.
Table tennis legend Ma Long, who clinched his sixth Olympic gold medal in Paris, will be visiting the HKSAR as part of the Olympic delegation for the third time. He will be joined by swimming star Zhang Yufei, who earned one silver and five bronze medals, as well as Ou Zixia and Li Hong, members of the women’s hockey team that secured the silver medal.
During their stay, the delegation will attend a welcome meeting and dinner hosted by the HKSAR government, visit the Hong Kong Sports Institute, and interact with local athletes. They will depart on August 31 to begin a similar visit to the Macao Special Administrative Region.
The Olympians will attend a gala show before showcasing their skills at two demonstrations at Queen Elizabeth Stadium and Victoria Park swimming pool. Over 5,000 tickets for all three events were sold out in about half an hour on Thursday, reflecting the enthusiasm of HKSAR residents for the athletes.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
