Published: 09:32, August 24, 2024
59 Chinese Olympic champions to visit Hong Kong
By Xinhua
Members of the Chinese delegation attend the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug 11, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

HONG KONG - A total of 65 Chinese Olympians, including 59 gold medalists at the Paris 2024 Olympics, will visit Hong Kong from Aug 29 to 31, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government announced here on Friday.

At Paris 2024, China achieved its best-ever performance at an overseas Olympics, finishing second in the overall medal table with 40 golds.

With China making breakthroughs in several team events like women's synchronised team swimming, women's group all-round rhythmic gymnastics and men's 4x100m medley relay, 60 athletes managed to stand atop the podium.

The only Olympic champion to skip the trip to Hong Kong will be Zheng Qinwen, the women's singles tennis champion, who is in New York preparing for the US Open.

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Ma Long (right)/Wang Chuqin of China compete against Simon Gauzy/Alexis Lebrun of France during the men's team semifinal of table tennis between China and France at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, on Aug 8, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Table tennis star Ma Long, who won his sixth Olympic gold medal in Paris in the team event, will be visiting Hong Kong as an Olympic delegation member for the third time.

Ma will be joined by swimming star Zhang Yufei, who took one silver and five bronze medals, as well as Ou Zixia and Li Hong, members of the women's hockey team that took the silver medal.

Bronze medalist Zhang Yufei of China reacts during the victory ceremony for the women's 100m butterfly of swimming at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, July 28, 2024. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

The delegation, which will be led by Gao Zhidan, president of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC), also includes eight coaches.

After arriving in Hong Kong, the delegation will carry out a series of activities, including attending a welcome meeting and dinner hosted by the SAR government, visiting the Hong Kong Sports Institute, and interacting with Hong Kong athletes. They will leave on August 31 to start a similar visit to Macao.

READ MORE: Tickets for mainland Olympians’ gala, sports shows sold out

The Olympians will attend a gala show before showcasing their skills at two demonstrations at Queen Elizabeth Stadium and Victoria Park swimming pool. Over 5,000 tickets for all the three events were sold out in about half an hour on Thursday.