Ming Pao reporters Yu Wei, Lin Xinze, Liao Kailin Nagoya direct report
Luo Shupei issued a statement to congratulate the Hong Kong team on "excellent performance"
Director of Culture, Sports and Tourism Law Shu-pei issued a congratulatory statement yesterday: "The Hong Kong, China, team performed extremely well at this year's Asian Games. They won 4 gold medals today (yesterday). Since the opening of the Asian Games, the number of gold medals won has increased to 11, and the total number of medals has reached 54, breaking previous records and reaching new heights."
Huang defeated the national team Wu Yibing in straight sets
The closing ceremony of the Nagoya Asian Games will be held at 5 pm this afternoon at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Land Arena. The Hong Kong delegation made history in tennis yesterday. Huang Zelin competed in the Asian Games for the second time as the top seed this year. After defeating the previous silver and bronze medalists Yosuke Watanuki and Sutanov in the semi-finals and semi-finals, Coleman, who is currently ranked 100th in the world, had a decisive battle yesterday with Wu Yibing, a national team player ranked 111th. The two sides had played against each other in the top 16 of the men's singles at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou and the semifinals of the men's singles at last year's National Games, with one victory and one loss.
Yesterday's match was held at the central court of the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center in Nagoya City. In addition to Huang Zelin's friends and five members of the YouTube channel JFFT, his parents and sisters made a special trip to support him. Some fans at the scene shouted "Let's go Coleman" to cheer up. Coleman broke serve twice in the fifth and seventh games of the first set and took the lead 6:2. Both sides guaranteed each other's serve in the first 8 games of the second set, resulting in a 4:4 tie. In the ninth game, Huang Zelin's "Diao Shi" saw the break of serve for more than 5 minutes. In the end, he hit 3 aces in a row (a direct score on the serve) and won 6:4. He defeated Wu Yibing in straight sets and won his first title. The Asian Games gold medal will receive a bonus of NT$1 million from the "Jockey Club Outstanding Athletes Award Scheme" and a quota for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The premise is that he must remain in the top 500 of the world's singles rankings before June 12, 2028.
"Winning a gold medal doesn't mean you have to stop."
Currently ranked 100 in the world "I want to continue to improve"
After Wong Zelin won, he hugged his relatives and friends excitedly and pointed to the SAR flag on his chest many times. He said after the game that his goal this year is to compete for medals. "Ignore the color first, and now it is considered an achievement to unlock. From small to large, I have heard about big competitions such as the Asian Games and Olympic Games. If I told everyone when I was young that I would win the Asian Games, everyone would think that I was outside the limit and impossible. But I just want to be this person and want to prove to myself and everyone. Just because I haven't tried it doesn't mean I have no chance. On the court just now, I believed that I could do it and win the gold medal." He said that winning the Asian Games gold medal was a great affirmation. "It proves that I am on the right track and I will continue to strive without end. From small to large, my family has always told me to do whatever I want. I have been competing in foreign countries since I was a child. It doesn't matter whether I win or lose. I just want to go out and make progress."
Talking about his next goal, Coleman, who is ranked 100 in the world, said that he just wants to finish the season as soon as possible. "Continue to work hard to maintain a high level. I am in good shape now and want to continue to improve, because I feel that it will never be enough. Winning the gold medal now does not mean that I have to stop. I still have 99 players in front of me (world ranking), so I will continue to improve."
As for the remaining events of the Hong Kong team, the sailing and windsurfing competitions were reduced due to insufficient local wind conditions, but they still won 2 golds, 2 silvers and 1 bronze yesterday. After seven competition days, the Hong Kong team won a total of 10 medals in sailing and windsurfing, including 2 golds, 3 silvers, 2 bronzes and 2 golds and 1 silver. Many young players who participated in the Asian Games for the first time returned home with medals in the youth category. Together with the men's and women's rugby sevens teams, the Hong Kong team added 1 gold and 1 bronze, setting a record for the Hong Kong team's best results ever.
Before the Asian Games conclude this afternoon, the last event of this year, the equestrian jumping individual event, will be held at the Tokyo Central Jockey Club Equestrian Park in the morning. Hong Kong team representatives Lai Zhenmin, Lai Jiayi and Lam Lixin will strive for success.
