Paris Olympics: as Hong Kong basks in golden Games, officials silent on how to follow it
- Medallists’ achievements mask shortage of other contenders and lack of successors, while sporting bodies decline to discuss what comes next
As the remnants of the delegation Hong Kong sent to the Paris Olympics returned home this week, attention began to turn to how to build on the city’s golden success for Los Angeles 2028.
Expectations, already heightened by unprecedented success at the Tokyo Olympics, and boosted by the performance in Paris of gold medallists Vivian Kong Man-wai and Cheung Ka-long, and double bronze medallist Siobhan Haughey, will only increase.
Never before had Hong Kong’s athletes managed to win medals at consecutive Games, breaking a pattern of zero medals at every other edition since Lee Lai-shan won the city’s first in 1996. The performance put the team 37th in the Paris table, their highest finish in any Olympics.
Praise for the 35-strong team has come both from officials in mainland China, and Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who sent his “heartfelt congratulations”.
“Every athlete has given their all and unleashed their full potential. Regardless of the results, all exhibited determination, perseverance and professionalism,” Lee said.
