First Hong Kong athletes at Winter Olympics remember making history in Salt Lake City, 20 years on
- Short-track speed skaters Cordia Tsoi and Christy Ren recall the day they carried their city’s flag into the opening ceremony
- Pair can still remember the pride and excitement they felt at being at the 2002 Games
On a February evening in 2002, loudspeakers at the Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City boomed with a call for “Hong Kong, China” for the first time in history.
That year marked Hong Kong’s debut at the Winter Olympics, with two short-track speed skaters representing the city.
Marching in was an energetic six-member delegation, headed by 17-year-old flag-bearer Cordia Tsoi Po-Yee. Joining her were her teammate 18-year-old Christy Ren, backup member 15-year-old Fiona Fong Ka-man, and their coach Lu Shuo.
Now 38, Ren recalled being mesmerised by the lights coming from the audience during the opening ceremony and the surreal awe of making it to the Winter Olympics.
“Knowing at that moment you are making history as the first ever representative of Hong Kong and you are actually there, I think that was one [memorable] moment for me,” Ren said.
To this day, she still keeps a framed official sweatshirt of the Games decorated with pins from different nations.
Tsoi, who is now 37, looks back at her days in Salt Lake City with as much pride and excitement as she felt 20 years ago.