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Mike Chan

It’s been 23 years since Hong Kong’s women last played at a Netball World Cup, they will be heading back to the sport’s biggest tournament next year and may yet go as champions of Asia.
On Saturday, only Singapore will stand between them and a first regional title since 1993; no wonder team manager Connie Wong struggled to contain her pride after a 51-47 win over Malaysia at Kai Tak Arena.
Wong has done more than most to get the players to this point, bringing the hopes and dreams of a generation to fruition in the Asian Netball Championships on Friday.
“Today was the day we always targeted to have our best performance. I am so proud of the girls,” Wong said. “They stuck to the game plan, played together, learned from the ups and downs this week, and put together a performance like that.
“I can’t remember how many Asian Youth Championships or Asian Open Championships I’ve been playing or coached, the target has always been trying to break into the top three. We always lost in the semi-final previously, so this means a lot.”

Victory came just two days after a thumping 53-37 defeat to Malaysia, and the ecstatic scenes that greeted the semi-final triumph said much for what had gone before.
Wong, who is also the president of Netball Hong Kong China, said a string of successful defensive stops at the start of the third quarter had changed the momentum of a game that saw the hosts fight back from two points down at half-time.
“We always talked about defence as a unit, it’s not just the goalkeeper and goal defence, it’s about the team and putting pressure on the opposition,” Wong said.
Little more than a year ago, goal defence Gessy Li Ga-wing said a regional championship on home soil “would give her team the best chance” to qualify for the World Cup.
Moments after being proved right, she said she could not believe the team had pulled it off.
“It was a really long preparation, and everybody has their eyes set on the result,” Li said. “Some of us have worked really hard for this for many, many years, and just individually to be able to achieve that means a lot.
“It’s not just the players on the court but the entire netball community of Hong Kong, wanting this goal so bad that it made it happen tonight.”
The last time Hong Kong competed at the World Cup was in 2003, when there was no need to qualify.
“It’s never been done before. For the last two years, this is the moment we’ve been dreaming and training for, yeah it’s huge,” Zenia Wong, the centre, said.
“Obviously, the World Cup is the pinnacle of international netball, it’s everything that we’ve been training for.”
Singapore, meanwhile, thrashed Sri Lanka 82-54 to book their place at next year’s tournament in Sydney, which will be from August 25 to September 5.


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Asian Netball Championships

Hong Kong’s women celebrate after qualifying for the Netball World Cup for the first time. Photo: Elson Li

Friends, family and supporters celebrate with Hong Kong’s women after the win over Malaysia. Photo: Elson Li

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Hong Kong

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Hong Kong beat Malaysia in pulsating semi-final, and only Singapore stand between them and a first regional title in more than 30 years


Hong Kong beat Malaysia in pulsating semi-final, and only Singapore stand between them and a first regional title in more than 30 years.


Hong Kong Netball Association

Hong Kong’s women make netball history, qualify for first World Cup since 2003

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Hong Kong beat Malaysia in pulsating semi-final, and only Singapore stand between them and a first regional title in more than 30 years

Hong Kong beat Malaysia in pulsating semi-final, and only Singapore stand between them and a first regional title in more than 30 years