Elite national athletes coming to spread joy

Ma Long, widely regarded as the greatest table tennis player of all time, will lead about 30 top mainland athletes who competed in the Tokyo Olympics on a visit to Hong Kong from December 3 to 5, according to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.

A total of 5,300 tickets for sports demonstrations - including table tennis, badminton, diving and swimming - as well as a variety show will be sold on Friday.

At the Tokyo Games in July, Ma, 33, beat a compatriot to become the first player in history to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the men's singles event.

Sprinter Su Bingtian, the holder of the 100-meter Asian record, will also be among the stars to greet Hongkongers.

Lam said the General Administration of Sport of China, at the invitation of the SAR government, has arranged for about 30 athletes to "share their joy with Hongkongers." The full list will be announced later.

"Since the handover, mainland athletes have, in fact, been visiting us after participating in the Olympics to share with us their experience and happiness after snatching good results," Lam said.

"This year, China got good results from the Olympics and Hong Kong got the best results in its history, so I think Hong Kong will be very enthusiastic about the visit."

But the public might not be able to get close to the stars due to Covid restrictions. Still, the government will strive to organize several public events, including sports demonstrations and variety shows, so people can see the athletes in action, she said.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department said the athletes will conduct badminton, fencing, gymnastics and table tennis demonstrations at Queen Elizabeth Stadium while another group will stage diving and swimming demonstrations at the Victoria Park Swimming Pool in the morning of December 4.

At night, the "Mainland Olympians Variety Show" will be held at Queen Elizabeth Stadium. Tickets are HK$20 each.

Meanwhile, local star fencer Edgar Cheung Ka-long will join the 2021 Hong Kong Open Fencing Championships on Saturday and Sunday - the first time he is competing after winning gold in Tokyo.

But it will be held behind closed doors, with RTHK expected to broadcast the finals of each event.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com