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Hong Kong Women Win Asian Games Qualifier

Hong Kong Women’s Field Hockey Team won the Women’s Asian Games Qualifier in Jakarta to qualify for the upcoming Asian Games. Hong Kong won 5 of its six matches, conceding just one goal.

The team, coached by Arif Ali, were playing in their first tournament after a two-and-a-half-year covid imposed break. “Victories aren’t born on the field. You create them during practice even in difficult times and our ladies have proven that” said Ali.

Co-Captain Evelyn Cheung with 7 goals was the tournament’s top goal scorer.

Hangzhou Asian Games Postponed to 2023

The 19th Asian Games, due to be held in Hangzhou in September, have been postponed to 2023 due to rising COVID-19 cases in China, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced on Friday. The new dates have yet to be confirmed.

“The Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee has been very well prepared to deliver the Games on time despite global challenges. However, the above decision was taken by all the stakeholders after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the Games,” the OCA said in a statement.

Hong Kong’s sports sector lawmaker, Kenneth Fok, said it’s a pity that the Asian Games have been postponed, pointing out that athletes have been training for years for the games, “Hopefully, a new schedule can be announced soon so they can re-arrange their training.”

Image: Asian Games

European Tour Sevens Squads Announced

Ahead of a two-month-long European Tour the Hong Kong Rugby Union has announced the men’s and women’s Sevens squads.

The tour includes tournaments in England and Portugal, (the squad’s first international competition since last November) and offers HKRU sevens coach Paul John a chance to restart Hong Kong’s rugby journey ahead of a busy international season which includes the Rugby World Cup Sevens in South Africa, the Asian Games (Hangzhou, Sept.), Rugby World Series qualifiers (Aug.), and the Hong Kong Sevens (Nov.).

Training in the United Kingdom also offers the opportunity to enter both squads into two events on the upcoming UK Super Sevens Series and the international sevens warm-up tournament in the Algarve in Portugal.

The squads feature most of Hong Kong’s top sevens players – including Max Woodward, Melody Li, Natasha Olson-Thorne, Max Denmark, Chong Ka-yan and ex-Hong Kong sprinter Hui Manling – as well as uncapped players looking to make an impact.

After months of no rugby, there is an essential need among both squads for warm-up games with international opposition to prepare and get match fit for the demanding upcoming tournament schedule which culminates (hopefully) with Hong Kong Sevens in early November.

HKRU Mens’s Sevens training squad (European Tour, Spring Summer 2022)

HKRU Women’s Sevens training squad (European Tour, Spring Summer 2022)

Additional reporting and images: HKRU, Asia Rugby