Latest news with #NationalGames'
RTHK
5 days ago
- Sport
- RTHK
HK shuttlecock players to debut at National Games
HK shuttlecock players to debut at National Games Hong Kong will be fielding a shuttlecock team at the National Games' mass participation event for the first time ever, when the events kick off on Friday in Zhaoqing, Guangdong. Shuttlecock players have to keep a feathered rubber disc airborne using any part of their bodies, except their hands. While the sport can be traced back to the Han Dynasty -- or even before that -- coach Lam Chi-wai said there is limited local awareness about the sport. "Still, most Hong Kong people don't know what shuttlecock is, and we are trying to make more promotion," he told RTHK. "These few years, we've tried to promote it in primary and secondary schools, and also in universities." Lam, who's also the vice chairman of the Shuttlecock Association of Hong Kong, China, described the ancient sport as a dynamic hybrid. "Many years ago, they would play in the playground or on the streets, and now, we've moved this sport to the inner court. We use badminton courts to play this sport," he said. The coach said the game is mostly played in a best-of-three format, with each set running up to 21 points. One of the 26 shuttlecock athletes representing Hong Kong at the Games is Stella Lui, a former table tennis player who fell in love with the sport after a friend introduced it to her. Lui said she values the sport's collaborative intensity. "Because it is similar to volleyball - you cannot play by yourself," she said. "You need to set a successful attack and that means you need skills, and it requires communication and agility, balance, flexibility, a lot of things." During the day, Lui teaches physical education and mathematics at a primary school. By night, she's back on the court training for the mass participation event. She said while the Hong Kong team is expecting to face strong competition during the Games, her squad is focused and ready to give it their all.
RTHK
20-06-2025
- Sport
- RTHK
'HK is ready to host the National Games'
'HK is ready to host the National Games' Hong Kong is set to co-host the National Games with Guangdong and Macau for the first time in November. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said Hong Kong is confident of its readiness to co-host the upcoming National Games, stating that all test events are now complete. For the first time, Hong Kong will co-host the Games in November alongside Guangdong and Macau, overseeing eight sports, including fencing and basketball. Speaking to RTHK to mark the third year of Chief Executive John Lee's administration, Law said the trials helped determine standards and identify improvements needed to ensure the events' success this year. 'The goal of our test events was to identify areas for adjustments," she said. "For example, in the recent fencing event, everyone felt the venue was excellent, providing an atmosphere that had never been experienced in Hong Kong before. 'However, we noted that the changing rooms and warm-up areas may need to be larger, and the air-conditioning settings should be adjusted to ensure that athletes compete comfortably, as their uniforms are quite heavy. "But we need to make adjustments to ensure it won't be too cold for the audience as well. "Many different events will have similar considerations.' Law expects a turnout of around 100,000 tourists and spectators. She said authorities are committed to delivering events "on schedule, smoothly, safely, fairly and justly". Law added: 'This involves many aspects, including the venue, detailed arrangements, security and technology applications. "On the other hand, we hope to attract as many local citizens as possible to participate fully since Hong Kong is one of the hosts. 'We also want to encourage more people from the Greater Bay Area and other provinces in the mainland to come to Hong Kong to watch the events, while also experiencing the latest developments in the city. "Of course, it's also very important that our Hong Kong representative teams achieve good results.' Law emphasised the Games' tourism potential, citing opportunities to offer travel packages or multi-stop itineraries to attract visitors to all three host regions. She also aims to introduce cultural and artistic experiences beyond sports to visitors in Hong Kong.
