bc magazine

Grace Lau Mo Sheung Wins Bronze in Karate!

Grace Lau Mo Sheung wins the first-ever Olympic medal awarded in karate. And with the sport dropped for Paris 2024 likely one of only four ever awarded.

Karate is making its first appearance at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020, with men and women competing in kata (forms) and kumite (sparring) events at the Nippon Budokan.

Lau’s bronze medal fight in the Kata against Turkey’s Dilara Bozan was a tight affair, as both faced off against a virtual opponent, finishing 26.94 – 26.52.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/Grace-Lau-Mo-Sheung-Wins-Bronze-in-Karate/i-FDzXjZg

What is Kata?

Kata are demonstrations of forms consisting of a series of offensive and defensive movements targeting a virtual opponent. Competitors choose the kata they will demonstrate from 102 that are recognised by the World Karate Federation. A point-based system was adopted in January 2019 whereby the scores awarded by three of the seven judges are added then applied to a separate calculation formula to determine the winner.

Key factors include the strength, speed, rhythm, balance and power of strikes and kicks; the solidity, clarity and force of movements; and the proper expression of the meaning of each technique with beautiful, flowing motion.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2021/Grace-Lau-Mo-Sheung-Wins-Bronze-in-Karate/i-7jcVzHg

Lee Wai Sze Wins Second Sprint Bronze

After what she must have found a frustrating and disappointing Olympics Sarah Lee Wai Sze’s beaming smile returned on the last day of the Tokyo2020 games as she won the sprint bronze medal.

After crashing out of the Kirin and not finding her form in the opening rounds of the sprint Lee came good at the end comprehensively beating the current World Champion Germany’s Emma Hinze 2-0.

In winning bronze at Tokyo2020 Lee becomes, after her bronze London2012, the first-ever Hong Kong athlete to win medals at two Olympic games! What an amazing achievement, Chapeau!

Illustration: Man Tsang

Graphic: Surreal HK

Free Tram Rides for a Week to Celebrate Olympic Success

As Hong Kong Tramways celebrated it’s new Guinness World Record – Hong Kong now has the world’s largest double-decker tram fleet, with 165 trams serving over 200,000 passengers every day. Managing Director Cyril Aubin said the tram operator wanted to celebrate the SAR’s Olympic success with the whole city, and announced a free week’s travel.

Aubin said the company had seen the MTR and KMB offer free rides to medallists. “But we thought $2.6 might be a bit offensive to the medallists.”

Nixon Cheung, Head of Commercial & Brand for HK Tramways, said the operator would need government approval for the free week, which he said would “hopefully” come in the last quarter of 2021.

Siobhan Haughey Wins Silver in 200m Freestyle!

Siobhan Bernadette Haughey won Hong Kong’s first Olympic swimming medal by taking silver in the 200m freestyle at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – Chapeau!

After making history by becoming the first Hong Kong swimmer to make an Olympic final, Haughey looked set for gold before Australia’s Ariarne Titmus chased her down in the final metres.

“My achievement, coupled with Cheung Ka-long in fencing, can inspire other Hong Kong athletes who are here in Tokyo, and ‘add oil’ to them,” Haughey said after the race.

“I would like to thank my coaches in Hong Kong and the United States, and also my dad and mum, without them I would not be having such an achievement,” added the silver medal winner “Those swimmers back home – continue to train hard and you will be the next.”

This is the first time Hong Kong has won multiple medals at an Olympic games.

updated quotes

Edgar Cheung Ka Long Wins Gold

Edgar Cheung Ka Long stands on the podium to collect his GOLD medal in the foil competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – Chapeau.

Cheung fought really hard to get there, facing 6 match points in his quarterfinal but made victory in the final look simple beating defending champion Italian Daniele Garozzo 15-11.

“I just tried to talk to myself, I’m nothing against him. This is the Olympic champion, the (former) world champion. I’m nobody, I just keep fighting until the end,” Cheung said after his bout.

This is only Hong Kong’s second-ever gold medal after Lei Lai San’s windsurfing gold in 1996, and only the fourth ever!

“The reaction in Hong Kong has been insane,” Cheung said at a news conference. “It means a lot to show to the world we can do it, we’re not only a city, we can fight for victory,”

updated: to add quote