National Games: Haughey’s historic gold, Hong Kong into 7s final - day 4, as it happened
Siobhan Haughey back on top after winning first gold at a National Games, and Hong Kong will battle Shandong for men’s rugby title
There was a very Olympic feeling building at the start of the day, which was comforting and strange both at the same time.
Siobhan Haughey was getting ready for a gold medal swim, and then did what she does best and made history, while the city’s cyclists were back in action on the track, although not with the same level of success.
Twice Asian Games rugby sevens gold medallists, Hong Kong’s men have yet to reach a Summer Games, but they ran their opponents ragged at Kai Tak Stadium and will certainly be favourites to add a National Games title to their bulging trophy cabinet.
For Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau, see Tokyo in 2021, Hangzhou in 2023 or Paris last year. The National Games might not be global, but they have that feeling about them all the same.
At least we knew how to handle what came next, which was the anticipation, the excitement and then the reaction. This was day four in the Greater Bay Area.
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Reporting by Paul McNamara, Tom Bell, Jiang Chuqin, Ada Li, Stephy Zhang, Wynna Wong, Josh Ball, and Mike Chan in Shenzhen