appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Paul McNamara

A trio of silvers from the prestigious World Table Tennis Europe Smash has signalled Hong Kong’s potential for Asian Games glory, as the countdown to next month’s Japanese multi-sport spectacular intensifies.
The three-medal haul is the city squad’s best from a major tournament, although Wong Chun-ting and the seriously promising Baldwin Chan Ho-wah were unable to repeat their golden performance in Sweden 12 months ago, after they ran into inspired French brothers Alexis and Felix Lebrun in a one-sided final in Sweden.
Wong and Doo Hoi-kem, in the mixed doubles, and the women’s doubles pair of Doo and junior partner Pedrey Ng Wing-lam also had to settle for second best.
But Li Ching, the Hong Kong head coach, said the performances of Chan, 21, and 22-year-old Ng in particular showed Hong Kong’s capacity to compete in both the immediate and distant future for the sport’s biggest prizes.
“It’s still about using our veterans to lead and inspire their younger teammates, so that we’re able to maintain our competitiveness for the next five to 10 years,” Li said.

“Teams around the world used to focus more on singles and team events, which are still singles in practice. Doubles is now really in the mix, so I think the competition will be even greater in future.”
Wong and Chan, the No 2 seeds, beat pairs from Brazil, Germany and Japan, but they never fully recovered from dropping the opening five points against the fifth-seeded Lebruns, who won the final showdown 3-0.
“They still need to do better, given the competition is so fierce, but they’re capable of going on a charge and having a lot of good results,” Li said.
Long-standing mixed doubles pair Wong and Doo, who claimed the first of their four world championships bronze medals back in 2015, crashed out to No 1 seeds and eventual champions Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha at the last Asian Games.
The barrel-load of ranking points the Hongkongers banked in Malmo, where they went down 3-1 in the final to the resurgent Chinese combination of Lin Shidong and Kuai Man, should secure the top-four Asian Games seeding that will spare them another early meeting with one of the heavyweight pairs.
“This result showed they’re still competitive, despite their opponents having thoroughly studied them for years,” Leung Chu-yan, the Hong Kong women’s coach, said. “I have faith in them, and they’re capable of good results in any major events, the first one being the Asian Games.”
Li said that Wong and Doo were “always a guarantee” but caveated his confidence by saying their Games podium prospects would heavily rest on the competition draw.
The 2022 Asian Games singles bronze medallist, Wong will turn 35 early next month.

After linking forces at the beginning of this year, Ng and the 29-year-old Doo served notice of their potential as a couple when they ended the two-year unbeaten streak of China’s Kuai and Wang Manyu in their European quarter-final.
In another shot across the bows for their Games rivals, they ousted Koreans Shin Yu-bin and Joo Cheon-hui in the last four. In a final of four very tight games, Doo and Ng lost 3-1 to Miwa Harimoto and Hina Hayata of Japan.
“Sometimes, it’s about being bold and fierce enough at the table, and some of their points caught their opponents off guard, which is why they got those results,” Leung said. “After such a short time together, this is very encouraging.”
The nine-day Asian Games table tennis programme gets under way in Nagoya on September 20, with Doo and Ng aiming to become Hong Kong’s first women’s doubles medallists since the bronze for Lee Ho-ching and Ng Wing-nam in 2014.
“They have improved after some practice and tactical coordination,” Li said. “Their belief is also important.
“Because of their improvement, I felt confident, but this great performance was still a bit unexpected.”
Additional reporting: Mike Chan


Chinese men’s table tennis team continue to struggle after WTT Europe Smash setback

Hong Kong send Asian Games table tennis warning after Europe Smash silver linings

A stacked sporting calendar gives Hong Kong the winning edge

China’s champion ‘Long Mang’ duo to reunite at doubles-only national championships

World Table Tennis (WTT)

Hong Kong women's doubles pair Doo Hoi-kem (right) and Ng Wing-lam lost a tight final to Japan's Miwa Harimoto and Hina Hayata at the WTT Europe Smash in Sweden. Photo: Xinhua

Wong Chun-ting (right) and Baldwin Chan lost their final to the Lebrun brothers of France. Photo: Getty Images

The pair of Wong Chun-ting (left) and Doo Hoi-kem are “always a guarantee”, their coach says. Photo: Getty Images

‘Hong Kong changed my life’: netball star’s journey from South Africa to city team

Hong Kong’s Zanne-Marie Pienaar did not let losing the final on Saturday in the Asian Netball Championships to Singapore subdue the celebrations over ending a 24-year wait to be back in the World Cup. Photo:  Elson Li

A fearsome goal defence, Zanne-Marie Pienaar flirted with ballet and athletics as a child. Photo: Elson Li

Zanne-Marie Pienaar (second from left) is the captain of Hong Kong women’s netball team. Photo Elson Li

Kowloon City eye move to Kai Tak with ambitions to attract new audience, build brand

The 5,000-capacity Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground has proved a hard sell locally, with no tenant obtained since it opened in March last year. Photo: Sam Tsang

 Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground is dwarfed by the adjacent Kai Tak Stadium. Photo: Sam Tsang

Andrew Mak boasts the personal funds to turn Kowloon City into league champions overnight. Photo: Handout

Aston Villa and Liverpool were not happy about training at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground. Photo: Sam Tsang

Sport

Hong Kong

City squad claim three medals from world-class Swedish tournament, poised for Japanese glory quest next month


City squad claim three medals from world-class Swedish tournament, poised for Japanese glory quest next month.


Wong Chun-ting

Doo Hoi-kem

Baldwin Chan Ho-wah

Hong Kong send Asian Games table tennis warning after Europe Smash silver linings

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}City squad claim three medals from world-class Swedish tournament, poised for Japanese glory quest next month

City squad claim three medals from world-class Swedish tournament, poised for Japanese glory quest next month