
Fencer Hsieh retains World University Games epee title
Daphne Chan and Lo Wai-fung carried the SAR flag as the Hong Kong, China delegation attended the World University Games opening ceremony. File photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong's Kaylin Hsieh on Thursday successfully defended her women's individual epee title at the 2025 FISU World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany, while claiming the first gold medal for the SAR at this year's event.
The 24-year-old Hsieh, ranked seventh in the world, defeated Anna Maksymenko of Ukraine in the final.
Despite falling behind 0-2 early on, the World Cup bronze medallist found herself locked in a tightly-contested battle with her opponent before drawing level at 8 apiece within the legal time.
Hsieh held her nerve in the final moments to clinch the decider by the narrowest of margins, winning 9-8.
The fencer Hsieh became the first SAR athlete to step on the podium in two University Games, having struck gold at the last edition in Chendu two years ago.
The tournament continues on Friday with fellow SAR fencers Daphne Chan, Sophia Wu and Janelle Leung appearing in the women's individual foil, while Anthony Yuen and Ng Ting-hin will compete in the men's individual epee.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


HKFP
4 days ago
- HKFP
Hong Kong university student found guilty of insulting national anthem during World Cup qualifier
A Hong Kong university student has been found guilty of insulting the national anthem during a World Cup qualifier football match between the city's team and Iran in June last year. Lau Pun-hei, a 19-year-old student in politics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, was convicted on Wednesday for turning his back to the pitch while the Chinese national anthem, 'March of the Volunteers,' played ahead of the match at the Hong Kong Stadium on June 6, 2024. Magistrate Kestrel Lam of the Eastern Magistrates' Courts said the playing of the anthem before a match 'represented national pride, unity and identity.' 'That the defendant chose to turn his back to the pitch was obviously improper and disrespectful,' Lam said in Cantonese. The magistrate noted that Lau had turned his back to the pitch only during the Chinese anthem and that the student faced the pitch and clapped during the Iranian anthem. Lam found that it was a deliberate act to demonstrate Lau's dissatisfaction with, or contempt for, the national anthem. 'Different people may have different feelings towards the nation and its anthem. Supporters may sing along. Meanwhile, people who don't support the country should allow the anthem to be played solemnly,' the magistrate said. Lam rejected the defence's argument that some other people in the stadium, including the police officers who filmed the spectators while the national anthem was being played, also had their backs facing the pitch. The police officers were carrying out their duties, Lam said, but the student had no reason to do the same. Whether an act constitutes an insult to the national anthem must be based on the facts and the circumstances in the case, the magistrate added. He also rejected the defence's argument that the law was vague and could infringe upon one's freedom of expression. Steven Kwan, Lau's lawyer, told the court that the student was a keen supporter of Hong Kong and a staunch advocate of an eco-friendly lifestyle, showing his care for the world. Lau's offence was of a 'minor nature,' Kwan said, as his act was 'quiet, peaceful, and did not involve any violence.' Kwan urged the court to adopt a non-custodial sentence given the defendant's young age. Lam scheduled sentencing for August 13 to allow the court to receive a report on the defendant's background. Lau was given bail pending sentencing. Hong Kong passed the National Anthem Ordinance in 2020, which criminalises 'insulting behaviour' towards the anthem. Under the law, one must 'stand solemnly' and 'not behave in a way disrespectful to the national anthem.' Offenders may be punished by up to three years in prison and a fine of HK$50,000.


South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong football fan, 19, convicted of insulting national anthem
A 19-year-old Hong Kong football fan has been convicted of insulting the national anthem by turning his back to the pitch when the song was played at a 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier match last year. Eastern Court on Wednesday found defendant Lau Pun-hei's conduct at Hong Kong Stadium was punishable by a catch-all clause of the National Anthem Ordinance , adding that it amounted to undermining the dignity of ' March of the Volunteers ' as a symbol and sign of the People's Republic of China. Lau, a Year Two political science student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, was among three spectators arrested for an alleged violation of the 2020 ordinance during the contest between the city's team and Iran on June 6, 2024. The trial earlier this year heard that police pulled the student aside at half-time after reviewing video footage and found he had turned away from the pitch and players and lowered his head while the national anthem was playing. Police Superintendent Sean Lin, who videotaped the spectators' stand that night, said Lau had stood normally with his head facing forward when Iran's national anthem was played moments earlier. The ordinance states that a person commits an offence if he or she publicly and intentionally insults the national anthem 'in any way'.


South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Quan Hongchan skipped the World Aquatics Championships. Where is China's diving ace?
As China continues to dominate diving at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, one glaring omission is three-time Olympic champion Quan Hongchan. Advertisement Quan was originally listed in the squad to compete at the world championships, but had to withdraw because of what she called 'a serious ankle' injury. While her teammates continued the country's long-held diving domination, picking up seven from a possible eight golds in Singapore, Quan has returned to training, vowing to come back for the 15th National Games in Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau. However, a video of Quan being unable to complete an exercise in training sparked discussion on Weibo this week as to whether she is capable of remaining among the very best. A hashtag related to the video and her recovery has been viewed more than 70 million times. Quan Hongchan competes during the women's 10m platform final at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua The video showed Quan not being able to perform as many hanging leg raises as her male training partner. The video did not show how many she had completed before she had to stop.