Led by Liu Peng, Minister of the General Administration of Sport of China (front, left), a 64-member delegation including 42 Rio Olympic gold medalists and three elite athletes from Chinese mainland arrives on Saturday in Hong Kong for a three-day visit. (Photo/China News Service)
A 64-member delegation including 42 Rio Olympic gold medalists and three elite athletes from Chinese mainland on Saturday arrived in Hong Kong for a three-day visit.
Twelve girls from the volleyball squad and their head coach Lang Ping, swim star Sun Yang, five-time gold medalist Wu Minxia, as well as Fu Yuanhui, the swimmer who became a new social media star after her adorable and outspoken interview, will meet and communicate with the Hong Kong citizens during the visit.
At the welcome ceremony held at Hong Kong international airport, Carrie Lam, the chief secretary for administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, said the central government has arranged national athletes to visit the region for five times since its return to China in 1997, which reflected the support of the nation to Hong Kong and the deep feelings between the peoples of the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.
Liu Peng, minister of the General Administration of Sport of China, said the national athletes' achievements in the Olympic Games could not have been done without the support and help of Hong Kong people.
"We come here to share our glory and victory with Hong Kong people, and express our gratitude to them for their enduring support and help." Liu said.
Some Olympians will showcase their sporting skills at the badminton and tennis demonstration performance and diving demonstration performance will be held on Sunday morning at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium (QES) and Victoria Park swimming Pool, respectively. Other athletes will go to different places to communicate with Hong Kong citizens.
They will all then spend the afternoon greeting the public at the show "A Date with Mainland Olympians" at the QES.
The delegation will visit Hong Kong Sports Institute to share their experience with Hong Kong junior athletes on Monday morning before leaving for Macao in the afternoon.
In Rio Olympic Games, the Chinese delegation won 26 gold, 18 silver and 26 bronze medals. Chinese athletes set five world records and 12 Olympic records, also winning the first gold medal for China in bicycle and men' s taekwondo.
