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Willa Wu

Mike Chan

Hong Kong joined its National Games co-hosts in starting the event’s 100-day countdown on Saturday, with the city’s leader saying the focus will be on creating “an unforgettable experience” for anyone attending.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu led the local ceremony at the Velodrome in Tseung Kwan O, which went ahead despite the city getting its second black rainstorm warning in a week.
Lee later headed across the border to take part in an event in Shenzhen, which followed earlier activities in Guangzhou and Macau.
Joined at the cycling track by Beijing’s liaison chief in Hong Kong, Zhou Ji, culture and sports minister Rosanna Law Shuk-pui and Yeung Tak-keung, the head of the local National Games Coordination Office, Lee said the city would use all its advantages to “contribute to the country’s efforts in becoming a powerful sports nation”.
“Hong Kong will also use the Games to further develop the sports industry within the Greater Bay Area, promote youth sports exchange and allow more residents, including those with disabilities, to enjoy sports,” the chief executive added.
The Games, which will run from November 9 to 21, will feature more than 400 events across 34 sports, with Hong Kong hosting eight – fencing, men’s under-22 basketball, track cycling, golf, men’s handball, rugby sevens, triathlon and beach volleyball.

There had been a row over the qualification rules for Hong Kong teams in events the city was not hosting, pitting National Sporting Associations (NSAs) against the local organising committee, but that had now been fully resolved, a top official told the Post on Saturday.
Speaking at the Velodrome, Manda Chan Wing-man, director of leisure and cultural services, said new criteria had been “agreed and passed”, adding that local NSAs were now satisfied with the changes.
Lee said the city would focus on optimising the competition process, refining service arrangements, strengthening safety assurances and conducting final tests and drills in the coming 100 days to “build a fair stage for athletes and create an unforgettable viewing experience for spectators”.
He added that test runs for all eight sports and the two cross-border competitive events – the marathon and road cycling – that would be co-hosted with Macau and Guangdong, had now been completed.
Law, meanwhile, was among those finishing the last 100km of a million kilometre challenge that has seen ordinary Hongkongers collectively bike, run and walk their way to 999,900km already this month.
Also taking part were members of the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s CARE@hkjc volunteer team. Club steward Lester Huang was there representing the HKJC, which has committed HK$450 million as the sole partner sponsor of the Games in Hong Kong.
The sports minister and Yeung were expected to attend another event on Sunday at Go Park Sai Sha, which, as part of a fitness day in the city, was staging a carnival hosted by the Hong Kong Guangdong Youth Federation.
Athletes and other dignitaries were planning to join the pair for an occasion that organisers said would serve “as a bridge” within the Greater Bay Area and deepen “the coordinated development of sports”.
In Shenzhen, Lee was joined by Gao Zhidan, director of the General Administration of Sport of China, Guangdong province governor Wang Weizhong and Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai.
At the event, he said Hong Kong would spare no efforts in deepening integration with the bay area, while contributing the city’s strength to the region’s development.
Tickets for the Games will be sold this month under a real-name system. The government estimated about 100,000 visitors from the mainland and the rest of the world would travel to the city for the Games, which Yeung said would amount to 20 to 25 per cent of spectators.
Elsewhere, local power firm CLP Group said it would be sponsoring the Games through “the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates enabling the use of zero-carbon electricity across all competition and operation venues in Hong Kong”.
Separately, the city’s police force said it had conducted two-day cross-departmental major incident and counterterrorism exercises at the Kong Sham Western Highway and Shenzhen Bay Port.
In a Facebook post, the force said drills had been performed to enhance collaboration, response and handling capabilities between police and various stakeholders during the National Games.
The build-up to Saturday’s milestone began in Guangzhou on Wednesday, with a series of drone displays on the Pearl River. Screens on more than 20 skyscrapers in the provincial capital also lit up with countdown celebration images on Friday night, a display that will take place each evening until the Games begin.
Similar scenes were expected in Shenzhen where a skyscraper light show was planned for Saturday night, according to the city’s government.
In Macau, the Iao Hon Market Square was the backdrop on Friday for an evening celebration featuring lion dances, sports demonstrations, and singers. Earlier in the day, hundreds of people took part in a “100-day countdown fitness walk” from the Ruins of St Paul’s to Senado Square.
Additional reporting by Ziwen Zhao


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Hong Kong will make National Games ‘unforgettable experience’ for all, city’s leader says

John Lee (centre) has said Hong Kong will focus on optimising the competition process, refining service arrangements, strengthening safety assurances and conducting final tests and drills. Photo: Dickson Lee

Officials mark 100 days to go before the start of the National Games. Photo: Dickson Lee

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Commissioner of Police Joe Chow is adamant that the force is fully prepared to support the hosting of more mega-events in the city. Photo: Nora Tam

Police chief Joe Chow says he was “honoured” by the inclusion of the old Yau Ma Tei Police Station as one of the government’s nine “hotspot projects” aimed at boosting in-depth tourism. Photo: Nora Tam

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(From the left) Sports minister Rosanna Law, Chief Executive John Lee and Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges at the signing ceremony. Photo: Handout

Government officials and Jockey Club members were among those at the signing ceremony. Photo: Handout

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John Lee joins sports minister, Beijing liaison office chief at Hong Kong Velodrome Park to mark 100 days until National Games start


John Lee joins sports minister, Beijing liaison office chief at Hong Kong Velodrome Park to mark 100 days until National Games start.


Hong Kong will make National Games ‘unforgettable experience’ for all, city’s leader says

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}John Lee joins sports minister, Beijing liaison office chief at Hong Kong Velodrome Park to mark 100 days until National Games start

John Lee joins sports minister, Beijing liaison office chief at Hong Kong Velodrome Park to mark 100 days until National Games start