Cheung, Haughey named flagbearers

Rachael Ng

Star athletes Edgar Cheung Ka-long and Siobhan Haughey will be Hong Kong's flagbearers at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics this weekend.

Speaking at the Hong Kong International Airport as athletes departed for Paris last night, Thomas Brian Stevenson, vice-president of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, said of the choices:

"I am very pleased with that as they were our best medal winners from Tokyo.

"Obviously, we have a very strong team and we are very hopeful for success," added Stevenson, who is also the team's chef de mission.

"I will be satisfied if all the athletes have given their very best performance."

Stevenson said that there was a slight delay on the arrival of the air conditioners intended for the athletes' use due to "the rules and regulations" but they will be set up in their rooms today.

Fencer Cheung won a historic gold medal in men's individual foil at the Tokyo Games three years ago, while Haughey took two silver medals in freestyle swimming.

Cheung, 27, is pumped up to win a medal in Paris, but says he will just enjoy the Games and not pressure himself too hard.

The 1.93-meter tall fencer will start his defense of the gold medal on Monday.

"I have a more mature mentality and a better cooperation with my coaching team. I hope I can remain focused on the preparation and perform at my best in the Games," Cheung told local media recently.

Meanwhile, world No 1 fencer Vivian Kong Man-wai, a three-time Olympian, hopes to excel in the women's epee.

The 30-year-old said she is grateful to have the opportunity to chase her dream and compete in the Olympics, hoping that she could be at her best in every match in Paris to repay everyone supporting her. "I like to look at trees, flowers and plants. After seeing the world is so beautiful, I am happy to do something I like in this beautiful world, while constantly reminding myself I have done all the preparation for this very day. Therefore I can overcome all difficulties," Kong said.

Alongside the two seasoned Olympians, 19-year-old fencer Daphne Chan Nok-sze will make her Games debut. Chan said she will enjoy every minute on the piste.

In the individual men's epee event, Olympic first-timer Ho Wai-hang, 28, aims to make it to the quarter-finals. "But goals are set to be exceeded, therefore I hope to achieve higher, outdo myself and enjoy the sacred Olympic stage."

Apart from the fencing team, the city's table tennis team is also vying for medals in the Games, after snatching bronze in the women's team event in Tokyo.

But there will be a slight change in personnel as Zhu Chengzhu, a substitute for the team in Tokyo, will replace Minnie Soo Wai-yam and play alongside Lee Ho-ching and Doo Hoi-kem in Paris.

Also heading to Paris is 29-year-old rower Chiu Hin-chun in the men's single sculls event. He hopes to finish among the top 16. That, he said, would be "an outstanding result for an Asian."