Memorable moments in 25 years of achievement
The time since the handover to China sees unprecedented success by local athletes on the global stage and also world superstars visiting the city to delight their fans
As Hong Kong marks 25 years since the return from British to Chinese rule, the Post recalls 25 memorable sport moments for the city and its athletes.
1. Tokyo medal rush: Hong Kong had never won more than one medal at any Olympics, but got six at the Tokyo Games last summer, led by foil fencer Cheung Ka-long with the city’s second ever gold. There were two swimming silvers for Siobhan Haughey, and bronze for cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-sze, karate’s Grace Lau Mo-sheung and the women’s table tennis team.
2. Darling of the track: Wong Kam-po was Asia’s first track cycling world champion when he won the scratch in 2007. Weeks later, then president Hu Jintao picked up on his name – Wong Kam means “gold” and Po “darling” – when he met athletes during a visit to Hong Kong, saying: “You are a darling more precious than gold.”
3. Fiji rule Hong Kong again: A spiritual home for rugby sevens since its own tournament began in 1976, Hong Kong in 2005 became the first two-time host of the format’s World Cup. Having led Fiji to success eight years earlier, Waisale Serevi conjured a late try to edge England in the semi-finals, then saw off final opponents New Zealand.
4. Silent Witness’ stunning 17: Few horses have caught the imagination of the racing public like the great Silent Witness. The Tony Cruz-trained Silent Witness’ run stretched from his debut win in December 2002 to his 17th consecutive success – still a Hong Kong record – in April 2005.
5. Warne, Lara at the Sixes: Late legend Shane Warne led an All Star team at the 2007 Hong Kong Cricket Sixes, giving the tournament more than a sprinkling of stardust. Warne was joined by fellow Australian Glenn McGrath, West Indies great Brian Lara, India’s Virender Sehwag, Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi and Zimbabwe’s Heath Streak.
6. Ng on top of the world: Hong Kong’s arrival as a power in women’s snooker was complete after Ng On-yee’s first world title in 2015. Ending the reign of 10-time champion Reanne Evans, Ng’s win – repeated in 2017 and 2018 – put her in a select band of Hongkongers who have been crowned world’s best.
7. Jakarta glory: The city took 580 athletes to Jakarta for the 2018 Asian Games, and got its best results yet in the regional event: eight gold, 18 silver and 20 bronze. Three cycling golds, two in squash, and one each in equestrian, gymnastics and rugby sevens.
8. Flooding fiasco: Manchester City, Sunderland and Tottenham contested 2013’s soccer preseason Asia Trophy, but the waterlogged Hong Kong Stadium pitch was a laughing stock. Spurs considered withdrawing after Jan Vertonghen injured an ankle and their groundsman found shells, plastic and glass in the sand poured on the turf.
9. National Games debut: Three months after the handover, Hong Kong joined the National Games for the first time. Their only gold medal in Shanghai came in the men’s cycling’s road race for Wong Kam-po, who won two more in the following three editions.
10. The Covid marathon: Last year’s Hong Kong Marathon had pre-race Covid-19 tests, masks on until the start and at the finish, and runners warned not to display political slogans. With overseas entrants absent, Wong Kai-lok won in his debut marathon and Christy Yiu Kit-ching was the first woman.
11. Sevens stroll: The city’s men won the Shield at the 2010 Hong Kong Sevens – but it felt like the World Cup. “In my 12 years playing at the Sevens, I’ve never experienced the crowd so loud,” Rowan Varty said. Their victory lap was so long they were overtaken by
Canada, who won the next final.
12. A welcome silver: Before the 2004 Games, Hong Kong boasted only one Olympic medal: windsurfer Lee Lai-shan’s 1996 gold. In Athens, Ko Lai-chak and Li Ching lost to China’s Chen Qi and Ma Lin in men’s table tennis doubles, but it meant silver.
13. First since 1968: Hong Kong last month ensured they will end a 55-year wait when they play in soccer’s 2023 Asian Cup for the first time since 1968. They had no mainland-based players and others caught Covid-19 during qualifying in India.
14. Chequered ePrix: Motorsport came to the harbourfront in 2016 with Formula E champion Sebastien Buemi winning the first Hong Kong ePrix. An incident-packed race earned drivers’ approval but a backlash locally over traffic and pricey tickets.
15. Fight pioneer: The first born-andraised Hongkonger in mixed martial arts’ UFC, Sasha Palatnikov earned a US$50,000 fight-of-the-night bonus on his 2020 debut for finishing “The Monster” Louis Cosce in their welterweight bout in Las Vegas.
16. Hosts with the most: The biggest sporting event held in the city, 2009’s East Asian Games brought Hong Kong athletes 26 gold medals. They swept the board in squash, beat China in women’s team table tennis and downed Japan on penalties in Hong Kong’s first soccer tournament success.
17. Trans-Tasman tussle: Hong Kong Stadium was the unlikely setting in 2008 when Richie McCaw’s All Blacks prevailed 19-14 over Australia in rugby’s Bledisloe Cup, but back in Hong Kong in 2010, the Wallabies won with a last-gasp James O’Connor try.
18. Pedal power in London: Track cyclist Sarah Lee earned Hong Kong a podium place with bronze in the keirin at the 2012 London Olympics. The first of her three world titles followed a year later.
19. Real Madrid mania: The arrival of Real Madrid in Hong Kong in 2003 sparked jubilation. Fans queued for tickets three days before they went on sale, and 39,000 filled Hong Kong Stadium to see Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and David Beckham.
20. Masters of the baize: The Hong Kong Masters brought top-level snooker back to the city in 2017. A stellar line-up jetted in, Neil Robertson beating Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final.
21. Haughey makes waves: Siobhan Haughey wins 200m freestyle gold at swimming’s short-course World Championships last year and smashes the world record. She also won the 100m free and bronze in the 400m free.
22. Olympics in town: Beijing 2008’s equestrian events were relocated over veterinary requirements. Hong Kong fitted the bill and staged events in Sha Tin and at Beas River Country Club.
23. Steffi, Serena and Venus: The Super-Power Challenge Cup in 1999 had tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, Steffi Graf and Anna Kournikova – and Hong Kong’s future leader Donald Tsang Yam-kuen mixing with cheongsam-clad players.
24. Rex’s last stand: 8,000 spectators were in Wan Chai in 2017 for boxer Rex Tso Sing-yu’s last pro super-flyweight fight and victory over Kohei Kono, as he finished 22-0-0. Tso won on points with the bout halted and an eye almost shut after a sickening clash of heads.
25. Champions of Asia: In 2008, Japan left the Asia Rugby Championship and Hong Kong lifted it for the first time, going on a World Cup qualifying road that reached the final stage. They fell short, but try again this month for 2023.