Star magic as Olympic fever grips HK
Updated: 2016-08-29 07:28
By Luis Liu in Hong Kong(HK Edition)
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Olympic fever gripped Hong Kong on Sunday as the stars of the national Olympic team captivated thousands of local sports fans with magnificent performances and friendly matches, displaying their prowess and sharing their joy with residents on the second day of an action-packed three-day courtesy visit to the Hong Kong SAR.
And, hundreds of fans erupted into a thunderous applause as the 12 members of the national women's volleyball team and their legendary coach Lang Ping turned up at a shopping mall in Kowloon West in the morning. They then played a few games with a group of about 200 children.
In friendly badminton and table tennis match against Hong Kong players at Queen Elizabeth Stadium, the mainland Olympians showed off their skills seldom seen in regular competitions amid bursts of joy from the audience that comprised mainly young people.
Two-time Olympics gold medalist "Super Dan" Lin Dan was indisputably the day's darling, drawing resounding cheers from the crowd each time he appeared on the court. Besides playing two games with four local athletes, he also got into a match with table tennis star Li Xiaoxia.
Lin later shifted back to badminton, playing a game with table tennis star coach Liu Guoliang, with fans screaming at the top of their voice seeing both of them in action.
Table tennis stars Ma Long and his previous doubles partner and fellow gold medalist Xu Xin surprised the audience by hitting three ping pong balls at a time, playing with both hands, and even doing it sitting on a chair.
Another national "dream team" - the diving team led by five-time Olympic champion Wu Minxia - wowed spectators in demonstrating group diving and special routines at the Victoria Park Swimming Pool.
The public's exhilaration continued at Ma On Shan, Sha Tin, when seven gold medalists - weightlifters Long Qingquan, Shi Zhiyong, Deng Wei, Xiang Yanmei and Meng Suping, and 20-km walk winners Wang Zhen and Liu Hong - turned up for a rendezvous with hundreds of young people.
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Lang Ping (first row, left), head coach of the national women's volleyball team, and team members meet young Hong Kong residents at Olympian City on Sunday. The Olympic stars are part of the mainland's 64-member Olympic delegation which arrived in Hong Kong on Saturday for a three-day visit to demonstrate their athletic prowess and engage the city's residents. Provided to China Daily |
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Three boys test their skills in ping pong in a match with table tennis champion Ma Long on Sunday. Roy Liu / China Daily |
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Internet sensation Fu Yuanhui keeps her upbeat and amicable personality, winning over a vast number of fans wherever she goes in town. Roy Liu / China Daily |
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Members of the mainland's Olympic delegation arriving in Hong Kong on Saturday (top); and greeted by cheering crowds on Sunday. PARKER Zheng/ China Daily |
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Wu Minxia, who has bagged five golds in four Olympic games, shows off her diving skills with her partner at Victoria Park Swimming Pool. Roy Liu / China Daily |
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Left to right: Fu Yuanhui's teammate and star swimmer Sun Yang creates a joke by imitating Fu's cute pose in front of the cameras; Diver Lin Yue in action at Victoria Park Swimming Pool; Two-time badminton gold medalist Lin Dan plays table tennis with a badminton racket; Members of the national weightlifting team challenges a group of kids in a tug-of-war. Roy Liu, Parker Zheng / China Daily |
(HK Edition 08/29/2016 page8)