Chinese Olympians make a Hong Kong splash as Victoria Park diving, swimming exhibition kicks off day-long celebration of medal winners
- Just 2km away, residents were crowding into Queen Elizabeth Stadium for showcases of gymnastics, fencing, badminton and table tennis skills
- The events are part of a three-day goodwill tour by a group of 29 mainland Chinese Olympians that will conclude on Sunday
Chinese Olympians on a three-day goodwill tour of Hong Kong finally got their chance to show residents exactly what they could do on Saturday as gold medal-winner Wang Zongyuan stepped onto a diving platform in Causeway Bay.
The 20-year-old smiled, waved to the crowd, then formed a heart with his hands before executing a perfect dive met by cheers and applause from the hundreds on hand at the Victoria Park Swimming Pool.
After a performance by the local synchronised swimming team, Wang led a group of young Hong Kong divers in an exhibition of various dives from the pool’s edge.
Then, climbing up to the 5m springboards, as well as the 7.5m and 10m platforms, the divers proceeded to wow the audience with aerial twists and turns followed by the barest of splashes.
Wang and swimmers Yang Junxuan, 19, and Tang Muhan, 17, were among those showcasing their medal-winning skills on Day 2 of the visit by nearly 30 top Olympians. An injury prevented 25-year-old diving medallist Xie Siyi from taking part.
Yang and Tang, who won gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay, showed off their technique with six young Hong Kong young swimmers in a series of games and exercises.