Chinese diving stars showcase ‘splash-disappear magic’ in HK demonstration

National team Olympians on Saturday morning showed off their skills in two demonstrations at Queen Elizabeth Stadium and Victoria Park Swimming Pool, with Chinese diving stars such as Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi showcasing their “splash-disappear magic.”

At the Victoria Park Swimming Pool, synchronized swimming duo Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi, who are twins, took the lead in demonstrating their routines, followed by a group of 3-meter springboard divers showcasing their skills at the poolside.

Chen Yiwen, who won the gold medal in the women's 3-metre springboard at the Paris Olympics, said it was very interesting to demonstrate in a non-competitive setting.

She also spoke in Cantonese to the audience saying she would definitely return to Hong Kong should there be a chance in the future.

The audience was also able to witness first-hand Chinese diving pair Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi’s “splash-disappear magic”. The pair won gold in the women's synchronized 10-meter platform event in Paris.

The organizer then arranged an interactive session where two randomly selected audience members collaborated with the athletes to complete a swimming relay. Two members of the audience swam the first 50 meters using Augmented Reality (AR) tools, followed by relay exchanges with the national team and Hong Kong team athletes.

Another demonstration took place at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, featuring China’s top athletes in badminton, gymnastics, and table tennis.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and gymnast Liu Yang performed on the rings, executing high-difficulty moves that garnered applause from the audience.

Liu, in a sharing with the audience, said that gymnastics training is arduous and requires perseverance and patience to complete daily training routines. Meanwhile, another gymnast, Zou Jingyuan, praised the young Hong Kong athletes for their strong foundation and noted that China's gymnastics excels in technical proficiency. He also mentioned how the warm welcome he received in Hong Kong made him feel at home.

In badminton, the national team’s women's doubles players Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan teamed up with Hong Kong duo Lianne Yeung and Yeung Pui-lam in an exhibition match. The demonstration also saw Chinese mixed doubles pair Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong interact with young athletes.

A large number of sports fans gathered outside the Queen Elizabeth Stadium this morning before the demonstration.

One visitor who came from Shenzhen, told reporters that she hoped to see table tennis star Ma Long, adding that she admired his resilience throughout the years competing in the Olympics. Some other visitors, meanwhile, said they were unable to secure tickets for the demonstration and could only support from outside the venue.

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