Hong Kong table tennis players pave path for homegrown talent
Lee Ho-ching and Ng Wing-nam, whose potential was nurtured in city's junior development programme, win a bronze in women's doubles event
Hong Kong women's table tennis team entered a new era with homegrown talents taking centre stage after Lee Ho-ching collected two team event medals at the Asian Games in Incheon.
A product of the junior development programme, Lee partnered Jiang Tianyi to capture a silver medal in the mixed doubles and a bronze in the doubles with her long-time partner Ng Wing-nam.
Lee and Ng are both in their early 20s and are making their Asian Games debuts in Incheon after advancing through the ranks.
They have a lot of things to learn before they can be as experienced as their seniors
The mixed doubles pair lost 4-1 to reigning world champions Kim Hyok-bong and Kim Jong, of North Korea, in the final, but had they taken their chances in the first three games, they might have changed the result.
"We had two chances to net game points in the first match, but could not take them and then also lost the next game after deuce," said Lee.
"They took the advantage and went all the away to win the match with a very solid performance in the closing stages.
"It was a bit disappointing as it is not easy to reach the final in a major games. We blew away our chances and after all, the next Asian Games won't come until four years later," added Lee, who was emotional after losing in the final.
