Paris Olympics: Hong Kong windsurfers eyeing hikes, oysters and glory in Marseille
- While their teammates are in Paris, Cheng Ching-yin and Ma Kwan-ching will be competing hundreds of miles away on the Mediterranean coast
While Hong Kong’s Olympians float down the River Seine during the opening ceremony in Paris, two of their number will be hundreds of miles away getting ready to speed across the Mediterranean.
This summer’s windsurfing events take place in the southern city of Marseille, and other than fighting for a medal, Cheng Ching-yin and Ma Kwan-ching are hoping to go on hikes, visit Oyster bars and enjoy a more relaxed time.
The pair are certainly comfortable in each other’s company, having travelled across Europe together for competitions and training.
Cheng started windsurfing as a hobby when he was 11 and was selected for Hong Kong’s youth team four years later. By the time he was 18, he was an elite windsurfer training full-time out of the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI).
Now 25, he has always been interested in sports and previously represented Hong Kong in swimming.
The windsurfing team start competing on July 28 and therefore cannot join the Hong Kong delegation at the opening ceremony in Paris.
