Paris Olympics: Hong Kong’s windsurfers need strong showing at World Championships to make Games squad
- Hong Kong’s men just missed out on qualifying for next summer’s event at Asian Games
- Athletes preparing for Hong Kong Open Windsurfing Championships on Wednesday, as World Championships loom
Hong Kong’s men need a strong performance at next year’s World Championships in Spain they want to qualify for the Paris Olympics, and Cheng Ching-yin is ready to embrace the challenge ahead.
Cheng and Au Ling-yeung are both expected to compete at the championships, but head coach Chan King-yin said selection races would be held within the team would also take place even if a place was secured by either athlete.
Chan said the championships in Lanzarote, which will take place between January 26 and February 3, only formed part of the selection process, with the World Cup stop in Mallorca in March also being taken into account.
“The case is the same for the women’s team,” he said. “Our women’s team qualified for the Paris Games at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, and the men’s team was just one spot away [from qualifying], so I am confident in my athletes.”
Ma Kwan-ching, whose silver medal in iQFoil in Hangzhou was enough to claim a spot in the Paris Games for the women, will have to compete against compatriot Ngai Wai-yan, who also brought home a silver in RS:X.
“After all the races and training, it feels so real to actually secure the Olympics spot myself,” the 26-year-old Ma said. “It’s a confirmation of my continuous effort.
