Hong Kong’s conquering Olympic heroes take victory lap around city

Vivian Kong and Siobhan Haughey among dozen athletes who tour city in open-top buses and attend reception at Government House

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Olympic athletes wave to residents during their tour of the city on Wednesday. Photo: Eugene Lee

Published: 10:38pm, 21 Aug 2024Updated: 11:43pm, 21 Aug 2024

Hong Kong’s Olympic delegation were cheered by an adoring public as they toured the city in open-top buses and were feted as heroes by the chief executive at a reception on Wednesday, taking a victory lap after winning four medals at the Paris Games.

Some athletes also used the occasion to express hopes that the government’s coming review of its financial support system for sports talent would lead to higher subsidies, including covering entry fees for overseas competitions.

Among the dozen athletes joining the tour were gold medal-winning fencer Vivian Kong Man-wai and swimmer Siobhan Haughey, who took home two bronzes in the 100m and 200m freestyle finals. Fencing champion Cheung Ka-long, who also won gold, was absent and said to be travelling abroad.

Hong Kong sent 35 athletes to compete in 13 events at the Games, which ended on August 12.

Sitting on the upper deck of the buses, the athletes set off from the Hong Kong Sports Institute in Sha Tin, waving the Hong Kong flag as they stopped at Tai Wai station then Tsim Sha Tsui, Central and Admiralty. At times, Kong blew kisses to residents gathered on the streets.