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Paul McNamara

Canada rugby sevens star Flo Symonds said she was “so grateful” for birthplace Hong Kong’s influence on her growth into an athlete chasing Olympic glory this month.
Five years ago, Symonds was in the Hong Kong side that lost a Tokyo Olympics qualification shoot-out to China.
The 22-year-old wing, who spent the first 18 years of her life in the city, acknowledged she was keen for revenge when Canada meet the same opponents in France.
“Playing China will feel like coming full circle,” she said. “That was my chance to achieve the Olympic dream with Hong Kong.”
Canada also face Fiji and formidable New Zealand when the Paris competition gets under way on July 28.

Symonds moved to Canada, the birthplace of dad Peter, with the aim of “exploring my Canadian heritage and different levels of rugby, and for the opportunity to potentially go to the Olympics”.
“I am excited to fulfil my dream, but so grateful for all my experiences growing up in Hong Kong,” said Symonds, who played for Discovery Bay Pirates and Kowloon.
“I learned my rugby skills there … going through age-levels to senior rugby gave me a lot of confidence and [the city] shaped who I am.”
Symonds will be on familiar ground in the French capital. Her Hong Kong under-18 team were 2018 Paris World Youth Games runners-up. On a separate trip to the city, with DB Pirates, Symonds played against current Canada vice-captain Chloe Daniels.
“Those opportunities from a young age developed my discipline on tours, in terms of sleep, nutrition and how to spend days off,” Symonds said. “It means a lot to go back for the Olympics. It is a completely different competition but I know what to expect.”
To manage a congested season, Symonds took a year out from her anthropology degree at the University of British Columbia, where her dad and brother, Dylan, both studied.
Peter, Dylan, and Symonds’ mum, Sihui will travel from Hong Kong to watch her in the 80,000 capacity Stade de France.
“There is always a part of me representing Hong Kong,” Symonds said. “I often think about my ‘why?’. It is my friends and family, and a lot of them come from Hong Kong.”

Symonds made a spectacular entrance to international rugby. Aged 17, she scored a hat-trick in Hong Kong’s third-placed victory over Kazakhstan at a 2019 Asia Rugby Sevens Series competition.
Iain Monaghan, the manager when Symonds her Hong Kong debut, is now assistant coach of the Canada sevens team.
“He gave me my first chance to integrate into an international side, which had a huge impact on my life and made me realise I wanted to be at that level,” Symonds said.
Arriving in Canada four years ago, Symonds’ pathway was initially blocked by players who put off retirement to compete in the delayed 2020 Olympics.
“It was tough at first, but it ended up being a really cool experience,” Symonds said. “I was playing with veterans, helping their preparation and learning from them.”
Symonds said World Rugby’s alignment of the men’s and women’s 2023-24 world series was an “important step in creating equality”. In seven regular season tournaments, her Canada side reached three semi-finals.
At the Madrid grand finals, they beat New Zealand, winners of the previous four series legs, before losing 19-17 to France in the last four.
“Beating New Zealand was huge … but this is a big, new tournament,” Symonds said. “The past season doesn’t mean anything.
“This is going to be something we’ve never experienced and the biggest crowd we’ll have. We have to play our system, enjoy it and not let the pressure get to us, then we will get positive results.”
Symonds is also a key figure for Canada’s 15s team. Ranked third in the world, they host the elite WXV tournament in September and have an eye on next year’s World Cup.
“You have to think about what is coming but the Olympics is really important,” Symonds said. “We want to perform well for our country and it would be unreal to go back with a medal.”


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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris Olympics: ex-Hong Kong rugby sevens star chasing Games glory – with Canada

Florence Symonds is set for the Olympics with Canada after missing out on Tokyo as a Hong Kong player. Photo: Handout. 

Flo Symonds (right) excelled for Hong Kong after making her debut as a 17-year-old. Photo: Handout.

Iain Monaghan addresses the Hong Kong squad following their loss to China in Tokyo qualifying. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong rugby tour: city’s men fight back to stun Brazil and send World Cup message

Hong Kong’s James Sawyer stands tall during a maul in the Sao Paulo heat. Photo: Hong Kong China Rugby

Jubilant Hong Kong players celebrate their last-gasp success in Brazil. Photo: Hong Kong China Rugby

Captain Josh Hrstich tries to compete in a lineout. Photo: Hong Kong China Rugby

Hong Kong urged to ‘seize opportunity’ after learning route to women’s 2025 Rugby World Cup

Hong Kong’s victory over Kazakhstan kept alive their World Cup qualifying hopes. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong are one of five teams going to WXV3 to chase two spots in England next year. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Paris Olympics: table tennis stars dreaming of medals and money as they head to Games

Hong Kong mixed doubles pair Wong Chun-ting (left) and Doo Hoi-kem put on a demonstration at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong’s table tennis team (from left) Ng Wing-lam, Lee Ho-ching, Zhu Chengzhu, and Doo Hoi-kem. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Paris Olympics: how Michael Jordan’s US Dream Team gave Hong Kong coach Games to remember

Michael Jordan of the United States leaps highest to knock away a shot at the 1992 Olympics. Photo: AP

Herve Dagorne (centre) is the head coach of the Hong Kong cycling squad. Photo: Instagram

Magic Johnson (15) of the 1992 US team drives to the basket as Michael Jordan (9) looks on. Photo: Kyodo

Sport

Rugby

Paris Olympics 2024

Hong Kong

Flo Symonds was born and raised in the city, and will get her shot at a medal after missing out on ‘Olympic dream with Hong Kong’


Flo Symonds was born and raised in the city, and will get her shot at a medal after missing out on ‘Olympic dream with Hong Kong’.


Hong Kong Rugby Union