The men's ice hockey team from China's Macao is making final preparations for the ninth Asian Winter Games, set to begin on February 7 in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The team held its last training camp on Friday in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, before embarking on their journey to the prestigious event.
Despite lacking professional players, the team is a diverse group composed of firefighters, office workers, and even teenagers. After the closure of the only ice rink in the Macao Special Administrative Region, they have been traveling three times a week to Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, for training sessions and practice.
For their final practice, the team chose Shenzhen, which boasts a standard-sized rink, allowing for more realistic simulations in preparation for the competitions at Harbin 2025.
Founded 20 years ago, the team has an average age of 23. All players hail from Macao, and the captain, Leong Chon Kong, has been with the team since its establishment. Despite the challenges posed by limited local infrastructure for ice hockey, Leong remains passionate about the sport and is committed to inspiring the next generation to pursue their dreams.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
