Hong Kong equestrians hope experience proves key in National Games medal quest
Thomas Ho, Jacqueline Lai and fellow veterans aim to help five debutants in 11-strong city squad navigate newly built Games venue
Hong Kong’s veteran riders are hoping the experience they have stacked up over the years will prove decisive in their medal quests at the National Games next month.
Thomas Ho and Jacqueline Lai Jing-man, who will compete in their second and third Games, respectively, are part of the city’s 11-strong equestrian squad for the multi-sport event.
Teammates Patrick Lam Lap-shun, Annie Ho Yuen-yan, Nicole Pearson and Raena Leung Hou-ling will also be competing again, alongside five debutants in Angel Chen, Isaac Wong, Samantha Chan, Su Yuxuan and Joyce Shen.
Two-time National Games medallist Lai said she was glad to be back competing at the Games after a 12-year hiatus.
“I am privileged to be able to maintain this longevity in this sport,” said Lai, who won bronze in the jumping team event in Shandong in 2009 and a silver in individual showjumping four years later in Liaoning.
“For an equestrian athlete to really perform at a high level really takes time and years.