Long run for Olympic winner ends in HK
Long run for Olympic winner ends in HK
Wang Junxia holds up the gold medal that she won in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Photo: RTHK
Retired Chinese long-distance runner and Olympic gold medallist Wang Junxia has become a Hongkonger through the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Wang said she decided to move to Hong Kong as it is an international city that gathers talent from all over the world.
She wishes to contribute to the sports development in Hong Kong.
'Hong Kong is doing well in sports and cultural education," Wang said.
"Although I said I want to promote sports in the city, I also want to learn from Hong Kong through exchanges.
"I hope we can learn from each other, and I will do my best to contribute."
Wang snatched gold in the women's 5,000 metres at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Georgia, becoming the first Chinese athlete to win a Games gold medal in a long-distance race.
Wang's 15-year-old daughter, Huang Danting, who was born and raised in the United States, also said she is excited to become a Hong Kong resident and wants to represent the SAR in competitions in the future.
'I did compete in some races and I got first place in a lot of them," Huang said.
"Because I'm pretty good, so probably someday I can compete for Hong Kong.'
Lawmaker Shang Hailong, the founding president of the Hong Kong Top Talent Services Association, said Wang can help local athletes in training.
He added that his association has been offering support to newly arrived talent through job fairs and Cantonese lessons.
'We organised six job fairs in the past two years and helped more than 2,000 families in finding jobs in Hong Kong,' he said.
Shang said the association is confident of attracting more talent to the city.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
18 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong lawmaker defends ex-athlete Wang Junxia gaining residency via migrant scheme
A Hong Kong lawmaker has said he has no concerns about former athlete Wang Junxia being granted residency in the city, after some Hongkongers queried the move Former distance runner Wang, 52, had her residency confirmed on Wednesday under the city's Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, along with her 15-year-old daughter Huang Danting. It came 29 years after the end of Wang's controversial athletics career, in which she won 5,000 metres gold at the 1996 Olympics and set several world records – largely under Ma Junren, whom China later dropped as a coach when six other athletes failed blood tests. Wang on Friday insisted her 3,000m world record, which has stood for 32 years, would be broken eventually. Legislative Council member Jesse Shang Hailong, who was involved in efforts to grant residency to Wang, said on Friday: 'I am not an expert in sports, but if Wang can be an Olympic champion, she must have passed all criteria by the International Olympic Committee. It meant her results were tested, and she's still a world record-holder.' Wang Junxia (right) presents a self-painted picture of her Olympic triumph to Jesse Shang. Photo: Mike Chan He added: 'To me, she's trustworthy, and I believe in her.'
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
HK fencer Ryan Choi claims gold at Asian Championships
HK fencer Ryan Choi claims gold at Asian Championships Choi's win comes after securing gold at the Shanghai Grand Prix last month. Photo courtesy of the International Fencing Federation Hong Kong, China fencing star Ryan Choi on Thursday captured his maiden Asian Fencing Championships gold, as he beat the national team's Mo Ziwei 15-6 in the men's foil final in Bali. Choi earned his place in the showdown following convincing wins over China's Xu Jie in the semi-final, as well as fellow SAR teammate Lawrence Ng in the last eight. The win is another confidence boost for 27-year-old Choi, who last month struck gold in the FIE Grand Prix Foil in Shanghai – his first international title. Reigning Olympic champion, Edgar Cheung, meanwhile, missed out on the chance to reclaim his regional crown – as he secured bronze in a tightly-contested semi-final.
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
'HK is ready to host the National Games'
'HK is ready to host the National Games' Hong Kong is set to co-host the National Games with Guangdong and Macau for the first time in November. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said Hong Kong is confident of its readiness to co-host the upcoming National Games, stating that all test events are now complete. For the first time, Hong Kong will co-host the Games in November alongside Guangdong and Macau, overseeing eight sports, including fencing and basketball. Speaking to RTHK to mark the third year of Chief Executive John Lee's administration, Law said the trials helped determine standards and identify improvements needed to ensure the events' success this year. 'The goal of our test events was to identify areas for adjustments," she said. "For example, in the recent fencing event, everyone felt the venue was excellent, providing an atmosphere that had never been experienced in Hong Kong before. 'However, we noted that the changing rooms and warm-up areas may need to be larger, and the air-conditioning settings should be adjusted to ensure that athletes compete comfortably, as their uniforms are quite heavy. "But we need to make adjustments to ensure it won't be too cold for the audience as well. "Many different events will have similar considerations.' Law expects a turnout of around 100,000 tourists and spectators. She said authorities are committed to delivering events "on schedule, smoothly, safely, fairly and justly". Law added: 'This involves many aspects, including the venue, detailed arrangements, security and technology applications. "On the other hand, we hope to attract as many local citizens as possible to participate fully since Hong Kong is one of the hosts. 'We also want to encourage more people from the Greater Bay Area and other provinces in the mainland to come to Hong Kong to watch the events, while also experiencing the latest developments in the city. "Of course, it's also very important that our Hong Kong representative teams achieve good results.' Law emphasised the Games' tourism potential, citing opportunities to offer travel packages or multi-stop itineraries to attract visitors to all three host regions. She also aims to introduce cultural and artistic experiences beyond sports to visitors in Hong Kong.
