https://www.scmp.com/rss/324828/feed Andrew McNicol is a sports writer with a particular interest in football, rugby and mixed martial arts. He also enjoys covering local athletes and niche sports in the region. He has a master's degree in Media and Communications Governance from the London School of Economics and Political Science. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com He was mobbed at the airport when he arrived in Hangzhou for the Asian Games and he has been called the Michael Jordan and Lionel Messi of League of Legends (LoL), but Lee Sang-hyeok is different, because is undoubtedly the best to ever play his game. Better known as “Faker”, the South Korean mid-laner boasts three World Championships, two Mid-Season Invitationals, 10 national titles, and a highlight reel of the most iconic one-on-ones in the game’s history. The 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou are... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3235682/faker-who-lee-sang-hyeok-unkillable-demon-king-and-how-much-lionel-messi-league-legends-worth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3235682/faker-who-lee-sang-hyeok-unkillable-demon-king-and-how-much-lionel-messi-league-legends-worth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Sep 2023 05:00:16 +0000 As Japan’s top breakdancers continue to plot their route to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where breaking is set to debut, the man overseeing it all is “speechless” at how far the craft has come. “When I think back to when I started, it’s crazy. This was the dream back then,” said Katsuyuki Ishikawa, who is approaching his 25th year in breaking and leads the group, which is connected to the Japan DanceSport Federation. Better known as Bboy Katsu, Ishikawa started as every fledgling Japanese... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3180258/paris-olympics-japans-breakers-show-hong-kong-b-boys-and-b-girls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3180258/paris-olympics-japans-breakers-show-hong-kong-b-boys-and-b-girls?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jun 2022 00:30:13 +0000 Hong Kong head coach Jorn Andersen has complained that some players don’t want to play for the city’s national side as he prepares for his first match in charge and next month’s Asian Cup qualifiers. Faced with the “headache” of Hong Kong football’s notorious lack of firepower, Andersen is encountering difficulties in defence, too, ahead of a friendly against Malaysia this month and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign in India. “When some players don’t want to play for the national team... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3177776/players-dont-want-play-hong-kong-new-boss-jorn-andersen-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3177776/players-dont-want-play-hong-kong-new-boss-jorn-andersen-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 May 2022 00:30:18 +0000 This article is part of the SCMP’s series on the long-awaited resumption of sport in Hong Kong. After months of cancelled competitions and facility closures as the city battled a Covid-19 outbreak, elite athletes as well as the public are returning to pitches, pools and tracks. Societe Generale Valley RFC has held its first sports day for several months in what the community hopes marks the return of normalcy in Hong Kong. With the easing of Covid-19 measures for sports and outdoor activities... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3177279/hong-kongs-children-roam-pitches-once-again-valley-rfc-welcomes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3177279/hong-kongs-children-roam-pitches-once-again-valley-rfc-welcomes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 May 2022 06:30:14 +0000 The top flight of German football concludes this weekend, and the final games of the Bundesliga season will all kick-off at the same time on Sunday. With champions Bayern Munich unreachable at the top, attention will focus on the battle for European places, the fight to avoid relegation, and regional bragging rights. And with nine games to keep track of, supporters will invariably be flicking through different television channels and streaming sites to keep up with all the action, as it... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3177275/bundesligas-new-ai-takes-fan-first-approach-whole-new-level-putting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3177275/bundesligas-new-ai-takes-fan-first-approach-whole-new-level-putting?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 May 2022 04:30:12 +0000 Racing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe Championship, running a simulator distribution business in Hong Kong, and overseeing a new esports franchise – it’s fair to say Dan Wells has a lot on his dashboard. But it is just another day for the 30-year-old, as he returns to his Bologna, Italy base this week after working as a host at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Imola and a test event at the Paul Ricard Circuit near Marseille. While Wells acknowledges wearing “a few different hats”, he said... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3177116/hong-kong-racing-car-driver-dan-wells-weaves-and-out-real-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3177116/hong-kong-racing-car-driver-dan-wells-weaves-and-out-real-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 May 2022 02:00:28 +0000 Hong Kong Rangers have called for greater transparency from the city’s FA after it banned goalkeeper Lo Siu-kei from international football for a year over a breach of Covid-19 rules in Japan. The 20-year-old was found by the Hong Kong Football Association (HKFA) to have broken Covid-19 protocol while in Japan for an Asian U23 Championship qualifier last October. Eleven other players had previously been handed one-year bans over the incident, in which they were accused of vandalising hotel rooms... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3176896/rangers-query-fa-secrecy-player-banned-year-over-covid-19-breach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3176896/rangers-query-fa-secrecy-player-banned-year-over-covid-19-breach?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 May 2022 11:42:22 +0000 Hong Kong and surrounding Asian breakdancing minnows should be doing everything they can to tap into the mainstream, says Korea Breaking Federation founder Kim Heon-jun. Kim, better known as “Skim”, also heads world No 3 Korean Bboy group Jinjo Crew and has long been involved in the country’s preparation campaign for “breaking” to debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Having been through his fair share of part-time job-juggling and batting away the naysayers, Kim now leads a new era of Korean... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3174739/south-korean-breakdancers-look-beyond-olympics-mainstream-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3174739/south-korean-breakdancers-look-beyond-olympics-mainstream-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Apr 2022 05:00:34 +0000 Hong Kong coach Jorn Andersen was pleasantly surprised by Kitchee’s win in the AFC Champions League against Chiangrai United in Thailand on Saturday. The Norwegian is casting a watchful eye in Buriram as he mulls his selection for Hong Kong’s Asian Cup qualifiers in Kolkata, India in June. Hong Kong face Afghanistan, Cambodia and India in the span of a week to compete for a spot at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, to be held in China next summer. The first two qualifying rounds are also 2022 Fifa World... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3174614/hong-kong-football-head-coach-jorn-andersen-hails-very-important?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3174614/hong-kong-football-head-coach-jorn-andersen-hails-very-important?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Apr 2022 03:06:09 +0000 It was a dream debut for Ruslan Mingazov as Kitchee SC held off Chiangrai United 1-0 in their opening AFC Champions League (ACL) group J game on Saturday night. The reigning Hong Kong champions scored the only goal after 16 minutes at a humid Buriram City Stadium in Thailand, with a beautifully placed shot from the edge of the box from new signing Mingazov. The experienced Turkmenistan winger, in for the injured South Korean Park Jun-hyung, was impressive throughout as a dangerous-looking... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3174515/afc-champions-league-kitchee-flier-beating-chiangrai-united-1-0?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3174515/afc-champions-league-kitchee-flier-beating-chiangrai-united-1-0?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Apr 2022 13:53:30 +0000 Dan Wells was lining up a “breakthrough year” in 2020 before virtually all of his races – including a “dream” spot at Le Mans – were cancelled due to Covid-19. But every cloud has a silver lining. Amid the pandemic lockdowns and limitations, the Hong Kong professional racing car driver instead entered virtual SRO Esports races across European and Asian circuits. Wells stuck with his trusty Lamborghini – which he raced with at the Super Trofeo Asia the previous year – and would stay up until the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3174493/hong-kong-pro-driver-dan-wells-oversee-lamborghinis-debut-esports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3174493/hong-kong-pro-driver-dan-wells-oversee-lamborghinis-debut-esports?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Apr 2022 07:45:13 +0000 Germany’s top football league targets physical events back in Hong Kong and China “at the earliest possible window”, says Bundesliga Asia-Pacific head Kevin Sim. Whereas the region would normally be rife with marquee name visits, exhibition matches and fan activations, the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions have forced a digital-heavy manoeuvre that will hopefully balance out sooner rather than later. Bundesliga’s APAC head office was established in Singapore a decade ago this year – the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3174350/bundesligas-head-asia-pacific-kevin-sim-wants-unearth-hong-kong-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3174350/bundesligas-head-asia-pacific-kevin-sim-wants-unearth-hong-kong-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Apr 2022 02:24:57 +0000 Beijing 2022 Winter Olympian and world championship bronze medallist Alysa Liu is retiring from competitive figure skating at age 16. Considered the future of US women’s skating and already a two-time national champion, Liu posted her decision on Instagram on Saturday. “I’m here to announce that I am retiring from skating,” Liu wrote. “I started skating when I was 5 so that’s about 11 years on the ice and it’s been an insane 11 years. a lot of good and a lot of bad but yk that’s just how it is.... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3173796/us-olympic-figure-skater-alysa-liu-announces-shock-retirement-16?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3173796/us-olympic-figure-skater-alysa-liu-announces-shock-retirement-16?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Apr 2022 01:30:17 +0000 Rookie Zhou Guanyu agonisingly missed out on a points finish in his Australian Grand Prix debut in Melbourne on Sunday. The 22-year-old Alfa Romeo driver finished P11 for the second consecutive race and will be upset not to add to his point from the Bahrain season-opener but goes into the European legs extremely confident. Zhou may have squeezed into the top 10 had he not dropped places in the pits before 10th-placed Alex Albon of Williams – who was last at one point in the race – was helped by... https://www.scmp.com/sport/motorsport/article/3173766/f1-chinas-zhou-guanyu-hurt-after-narrow-top-10-miss-australian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/motorsport/article/3173766/f1-chinas-zhou-guanyu-hurt-after-narrow-top-10-miss-australian?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Apr 2022 12:05:23 +0000 Kahlen Cheung Cheuk-ka calls her upcoming World Junior Figure Skating Championships a “full circle” moment after a Covid-19-tormented couple of seasons. The 18-year-old’s last international competition came at the same event and venue – the Tondiraba Ice Hall in Tallinn, Estonia – two years ago. She was Hong Kong’s only entrant, as she is again. But there is one major difference in the lead-up this time around: virtually all of her training has been off-the-ice, given the city’s strict... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3173725/how-hong-kong-figure-skater-kahlen-cheung-has-been-training-junior?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3173725/how-hong-kong-figure-skater-kahlen-cheung-has-been-training-junior?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Apr 2022 02:15:12 +0000 Chinese Formula One star Zhou Guanyu said he was caught “a little bit by surprise” by the Australian Grand Prix tracks this weekend but hopes to maintain what has been a dream debut season thus far. Racing at Melbourne’s Albert Park for the first time – F1 returns to Australia after three years – the 22-year-old Alfa Romeo driver failed to make it out of Q2, settling for P14 after final practice on Saturday. Ferrari’s in-form Charles Leclerc leads the way, with reigning champion Max Verstappen... https://www.scmp.com/sport/motorsport/article/3173692/australian-grand-prix-chinese-f1-driver-zhou-guanyu-says-plenty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/motorsport/article/3173692/australian-grand-prix-chinese-f1-driver-zhou-guanyu-says-plenty?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Apr 2022 10:00:51 +0000 GOLD4HK, the NFT collection project based on Hong Kong Olympic gold medallist Cheung Ka-long and some of the men’s foil team, announced a partnership with local collector giants Elite Apes ahead of its much-delayed drop this month. Considered one of the city’s biggest NFT collector clubs – its more than 150 members own and manage assets from the renowned Bored Ape Yacht Club worth 30,000 Etherium (about HK$767 million) – Elite Apes will be helping as an “honorary adviser”. GOLD4HK said it would... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3173597/nft-project-celebrating-hong-kong-olympic-champion-cheung-ka-long?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3173597/nft-project-celebrating-hong-kong-olympic-champion-cheung-ka-long?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Apr 2022 09:53:48 +0000 Hong Kong swimmer Ian Ho Yentou’s lead-up to this year’s world championships and Asian Games is going exceptionally well after beating seven-time Olympic gold medallist Caeleb Dressel to a podium spot at the TYR Pro Swim Series on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Virginia Tech student-athlete, who secured four personal bests (PB) at the FINA world championships in UAE last December, clocked 22.22 seconds to finish second in the men’s 50 free finals in Westmont, California. Ho was only beaten by former... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3173261/hong-kongs-ian-ho-says-training-siobhan-haughey-has-helped-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3173261/hong-kongs-ian-ho-says-training-siobhan-haughey-has-helped-world?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Apr 2022 10:30:27 +0000 A Chinese snooker player has been suspended by the sport’s governing body and will miss the upcoming world championship after being convicted of assaulting a woman in England. Liang Wenbo, the world No 33, was fined £1,380 (HK$14,200) and handed a 12-month community order on Friday for committing what was described by British prosecutors as a “domestic-related assault” in February. Security footage captured the 35-year-old having what appeared to be an argument with a woman, the Crown... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3172917/chinese-pro-snooker-player-liang-wenbo-pleads-guilty-assaulting-woman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3172917/chinese-pro-snooker-player-liang-wenbo-pleads-guilty-assaulting-woman?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Apr 2022 07:56:52 +0000 With official International Olympic Committee (IOC) approval of the 2024 Summer Games competition schedule, athletes and spectators finally have something concrete to count down towards. Tokyo 2020’s year-long postponement has condensed the current Olympic cycle – there are just over two years remaining, even less for qualifiers and registration. Athlete-coach blueprints to peak in Paris are being written up, if they haven’t already, while organisers have nearly firmed up resources, venues and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3172912/paris-2024-olympics-schedule-new-sports-venues-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3172912/paris-2024-olympics-schedule-new-sports-venues-tickets?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Apr 2022 07:30:13 +0000 Two-time World Cup winner Marcos Cafu believes Brazil, England, and several African nations are in with a chance of winning this year’s tournament in Qatar. The former Brazil skipper – who holds his country’s record for most international caps (142) and World Cup match appearances (20), and is the only player in history to reach three consecutive World Cup finals – helped with the group draw on Friday. England were drawn with Iran, USA and either Scotland, Wales or Ukraine in Group B; Brazil... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3172871/fifa-world-cup-legend-cafu-breaks-down-qatar-2022-group-draw-tips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3172871/fifa-world-cup-legend-cafu-breaks-down-qatar-2022-group-draw-tips?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Apr 2022 00:00:29 +0000 He has been dubbed the Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi of League of Legends (LoL), but what distinguishes Lee Sang-hyeok is there is no debate – he is undoubtedly the best to ever do it in his field. Better known as “Faker”, the South Korean mid-laner boasts three World Championships (two MVP awards), two midseason invitationals (MSI), nine national titles, and a highlight reel of the most iconic one-on-ones in the game’s history. Lee’s gamer tag is synonymous with mind-blowing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3172859/faker-lee-sang-hyeok-biography-family-net-worth-league-legends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3172859/faker-lee-sang-hyeok-biography-family-net-worth-league-legends?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Apr 2022 07:57:53 +0000 Hong Kong international Alexander Post will tick off a lifelong dream when he lines up for Oxford in the Varsity Match against Cambridge at Twickenham on Saturday. The 26-year-old Hong Kong-born hooker left for the University of Oxford after the Hong Kong Rugby Union’s full-time Elite Rugby Programme (ERP) closed last summer. “I had three aspirations when I was growing up,” Post said. “One was to be a full-time athlete; the second was to play in a World Cup – that’s not gone yet, so fingers... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3172751/oxford-v-cambridge-winning-blue-varsity-match-dream-come-true-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3172751/oxford-v-cambridge-winning-blue-varsity-match-dream-come-true-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Apr 2022 00:30:23 +0000 Japanese rugby star Kazuki Himeno is leading the charge to reawaken the Asian scene after what he described as a lull during the Covid-19 era. The 27-year-old Toyota Verblitz forward is considered one of the best in the world in his position. He was named last year’s Aotearoa Rookie of the Year after an impressive stint with Super Rugby side Highlanders, and also bagged Japan’s Player of the Year. Back in his familiar Japan Rugby League One (JRLO), the man teammates call “Mr. Passion” hopes the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3172482/japan-responsible-representing-asia-amid-covid-impacted-rugby?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3172482/japan-responsible-representing-asia-amid-covid-impacted-rugby?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:30:17 +0000 University of Hong Kong (HKU) students-to-be Coleman Wong Chak-lam, Adrian Yung Hau-tsuen and Russell Aylsworth are already expert plate-spinners having balanced their fledgling sports careers through primary and secondary school. As they pave their way to the senior circuits of their respective tennis, alpine skiing and sailing, the trio have been assured that the “unprecedentedly flexible” programme – worth HK$400,000 in scholarships – will not hamper athletic development. Firming up his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3171885/university-hong-kong-athletes-coleman-wong-adrian-yung-and-russell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3171885/university-hong-kong-athletes-coleman-wong-adrian-yung-and-russell?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Mar 2022 00:30:20 +0000 The Badminton World Federation (BWF) issued bans to four Chinese men’s doubles stars for violating its code of conduct at a mainland tournament three years ago. He Jiting, Tan Qiang, Liu Yuchen and recently retired Li Junhui were found to have violated the BWF code of conduct over “betting wagering and irregular match results” at the Fuzhou China Open 2018, the governing said in a statement. BWF’s independent hearing panel confirmed the bans from “all badminton-related activities to each... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3171898/badminton-world-federation-bans-four-chinese-doubles-players-irregular?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3171898/badminton-world-federation-bans-four-chinese-doubles-players-irregular?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Mar 2022 10:58:45 +0000 After agonisingly missing out on a Tokyo 2020 Olympics spot last year, Hong Kong sailor Russell Aylsworth is only settling for one colour at the Asian Games this September. “I truly believe it when I say that we are the best Asian team,” the 20-year-old said from his training camp in Spain, where he and two-person 49er sailboat teammate Akira Sakai are preparing to peak for Hangzhou 2022. “It really depends on how we do that week – if we’re fully activated and at our physical and mental best.... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3171426/asian-games-sailor-russell-aylsworth-aiming-hangzhou-49er-gold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3171426/asian-games-sailor-russell-aylsworth-aiming-hangzhou-49er-gold?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Mar 2022 00:15:09 +0000 Newly formed Hong Kong-based basketball team Bay Area Dragons is making the Philippines its temporary home because of Covid-19 restrictions in the city, the East Asia Super League (EASL) said on Monday. Formerly known as the Bay Area Chun Yu Phoenix, the Dragons announced they were joining the Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) next Governors’ Cup, which will be played later this year. The Dragons will be the league’s first Chinese guest team. The name change is out of respect for the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3171261/hong-kong-basketball-team-changes-name-bay-area-dragons-moving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3171261/hong-kong-basketball-team-changes-name-bay-area-dragons-moving?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Mar 2022 10:00:17 +0000 Hong Kong gymnastics prospect Charlie Chan Cheuk-lam has detailed her emotional roller-coaster journey to the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Cairo this weekend. The 19-year-old joined teammate Angel Wong Hiu-ying in representing the city in the balance beam at international competitions, but injuries meant her participation was touch-and-go days ahead of the Egypt leg. Chan ultimately completed her events, while veteran Wong, who won a historic bronze at the preceding Doha World Cup, also... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3171154/hong-kong-gymnast-chan-cheuk-lam-outlines-tearful-struggle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3171154/hong-kong-gymnast-chan-cheuk-lam-outlines-tearful-struggle?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Mar 2022 06:15:17 +0000 Vera Lui Lai-yiu was unable to clock the “Hong Kong record” she had set out for at the World Athletics Indoor Championships on Saturday, but hailed her race as a “great experience”. The 27-year-old finished eighth in her women’s 60m hurdles heats, and 40th overall, earning a season-best time of 8.45 seconds but failing to qualify to the finals in the Stark Arena in Belgrade, Serbia. Lui was just milliseconds off her personal best of 8.41 seconds in the event, in which won gold at the Asian... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3171117/world-indoor-championships-hong-kong-hurdler-vera-lui-narrowly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3171117/world-indoor-championships-hong-kong-hurdler-vera-lui-narrowly?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Mar 2022 11:33:14 +0000 Hong Kong-born Chinese national team player Dai Wai-tsun eyes his first international goal at their 2022 Fifa World Cup group qualifiers in the UAE next week. The 22-year-old midfielder, who plays club football for Shenzhen FC, has two national team appearances under his belt and has been hotly tipped for a breakout performance as China hope to end their disappointing campaign on a high. China face AFC Asian Qualifiers group B leaders Saudi Arabia at the Sharjah Stadium on March 24 and Oman at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3171105/hong-kong-born-china-international-dai-wai-tsun-eyes-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3171105/hong-kong-born-china-international-dai-wai-tsun-eyes-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Mar 2022 08:15:19 +0000 Hong Kong Winter Olympian Adrian Yung Hau-tseun will “cherish” his Beijing Games experience for the rest of his life – but less so his runs on the Yanqing slopes. “After the rather poor showing at the Olympics, I’m hungry to redeem myself and show Hong Kong that their faith is not misplaced,” said the 17-year-old alpine skier, who finished with DNFs in the giant slalom and slalom events last month. “I want to bring something back for [fans] to see. To show the world that Hong Kong skiing can be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170838/winter-olympics-skier-adrian-yung-wants-repay-his-faithful-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170838/winter-olympics-skier-adrian-yung-wants-repay-his-faithful-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Mar 2022 00:30:13 +0000 Olympic bronze medallist karate exponent Grace Lau Mo-sheung will use her Tokyo 2020 Games experience to dictate preparations for her World Games debut in July. The women’s kata world No 4 confirmed her qualification for the US event last weekend after a nail-biting selection process. Lau is laser focused on a podium spot at July’s event in Birmingham, Alabama, and will spend the remaining time training intensely at her Miami base, in between international WKF Karate 1 Premier League... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170564/world-games-2022-hong-kong-kata-star-grace-lau-use-olympic-bronze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170564/world-games-2022-hong-kong-kata-star-grace-lau-use-olympic-bronze?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Mar 2022 01:30:24 +0000 Olympic swimmer Robyn Lamsam has been instilling her positive attitude in her young son Kyle since the day he was diagnosed as being profoundly deaf in both ears. The five-year-old proudly sported his “magic ears” – crucial cochlear implants – while holding his mother’s hand as they embarked on a 70km charity walk around Hong Kong Island. Mother and son raised nearly HK$180,000 for Weez Walk, a part of the Weez Project campaign started by the parents of 15-year-old Jamie Pearce, who killed... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170230/hong-kong-swimming-legend-robyn-lamsam-and-deaf-son-raise-hk180000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170230/hong-kong-swimming-legend-robyn-lamsam-and-deaf-son-raise-hk180000?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Mar 2022 03:30:21 +0000 Mark Cavendish went from being “the best in the world to one of the worst overnight”, to one of the best again after years of struggling with illness and clinical depression. Just as the sport collectively prepared to raise a glass to his unparalleled road sprinting career, the 36-year-old miraculously equalled Eddy Merckx’s all-time record of 34 Tour de France stage wins last summer. The “Manx Missile” may even surpass the 46-year milestone should he earn a spot at Le Tour in July. But he wants... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3170093/mark-cavendish-reflects-remarkable-tour-de-france-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3170093/mark-cavendish-reflects-remarkable-tour-de-france-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Mar 2022 01:30:14 +0000 Team Hong Kong continued their mixed-bag Singapore Smash campaign on Saturday, with men’s singles star Wong Chun-ting and mixed doubles player Ho Kwan-kit advancing, but women’s paddler Minnie Soo Wai-yam bowing out. The 30-year-old Wong eased past higher-ranked Jang Woo-jin of South Korea in the round of 64, winning 3-1 (13-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5) at the Singapore Sports Hub’s OCBS Arena. World No 22 Wong will play Patrick Franziska of Germany in the round of 32. “He played well,” coach Chan... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170258/singapore-smash-dominant-wong-chun-ting-round-32-doo-hoi-kem-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170258/singapore-smash-dominant-wong-chun-ting-round-32-doo-hoi-kem-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Mar 2022 12:30:21 +0000 Hong Kong karate exponent Grace Lau Mo-sheung expressed her joy after qualifying for the 2022 World Games in the United States in July. Lau, who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and the 2021 world championships last November, ultimately qualified thanks to her world ranking. The world No 4 has been training in Miami in recent months as she competes in the new season’s World Karate Federation Karate 1 Premier League. She won a bronze medal in the opening competition in Fujairah, UAE,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170243/hong-kong-karate-queen-grace-lau-mo-sheung-thrilled-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3170243/hong-kong-karate-queen-grace-lau-mo-sheung-thrilled-after?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Mar 2022 08:30:25 +0000 Hong Kong opened its FIFAe Nations Cup Asia and Oceania division one campaign with a shock draw with leaders Australia on Friday. But the newly promoted team struggled beyond their single win in the third round of the overarching FIFAe Series 2022 Play-in qualifiers – where teams are competing for one of 24 spots in the FIFAe Nations Series (PS5 console). A 2-2 draw in the first leg against regional titans India looked to get Hong Kong off to a flyer, but they could not repeat it in the second,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3170240/hong-kong-stun-australia-fifae-nations-cup-asia-and-oceania-play-ins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3170240/hong-kong-stun-australia-fifae-nations-cup-asia-and-oceania-play-ins?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Mar 2022 07:30:17 +0000 Ukraine’s Winter Paralympics delegation wept and pumped their fists in the air in defiance of Russia’s invasion of their homeland during a moment’s silence at the Athletes’ Village in Beijing on Thursday. On day 6 of the 2022 Games – which saw medal table leader China add one bronze in the alpine skiing event – Ukraine held a solemn ceremony to call for peace, and honour their fallen countrymen and women, during a break from training commitments as well as cross-country skiing and biathlon... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169983/winter-paralympics-tearful-ukraine-team-pay-tribute-countrys-fallen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169983/winter-paralympics-tearful-ukraine-team-pay-tribute-countrys-fallen?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Mar 2022 10:28:44 +0000 China’s Para cross-country skiers continued their gold rush at the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games on Wednesday, as the host extended its lead at the top of the medal table. Zheng Peng eased to gold in the men’s sprint sitting event with a time of 2:42.40 to get things under way on day 5 at a sunny Zhangjiakou Biathlon Centre. This was the 29-year-old Putian native’s second gold medal, having won one in the men’s 15km sitting event last Sunday. Teammate Mao Zhongwu earned his second silver medal... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169857/winter-paralympics-china-secures-two-more-golds-para-cross-country?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169857/winter-paralympics-china-secures-two-more-golds-para-cross-country?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Mar 2022 12:27:23 +0000 Reigning Hong Kong Premier League champions Kitchee will send three promising players to a “youth internship programme” in Spain next season with the objective of securing a loan deal with a Spanish team. The programme, run by former Kitchee head coach Josep Gombau, will take about 30 elite international youth players to a high-intensity training camp at the Terres de l’Ebre Sports High Performance Centre in Amposta, eastern Spain, the club confirmed in a press release on Wednesday. Shinichi... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3169842/hong-kong-premier-league-champions-kitchee-sending-young-prospects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3169842/hong-kong-premier-league-champions-kitchee-sending-young-prospects?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Mar 2022 11:06:00 +0000 Real Madrid are hoping to overturn a one-goal deficit in their Uefa Champions League round-of-16 second leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. With serious injury doubts over PSG talisman Kylian Mbappe, who scored the only goal in the first leg, as well as increasing speculation over Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti’s future, and a potential homecoming for Sergio Ramos, there are several fascinating wrinkles ahead of this clash of titans. Here’s what you need to know before two of Europe’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3169694/real-madrid-vs-psg-champions-league-team-news-head-head-odds-kylian?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3169694/real-madrid-vs-psg-champions-league-team-news-head-head-odds-kylian?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Mar 2022 09:37:35 +0000 As China ice hockey captain Brandon Yip led his history making Beijing Winter Olympics team out the National Indoor Stadium last month, his two biggest fans were cheering from their television at the crack of dawn some 8,500km away. Based in the “little old” city of Maple Ridge, Vancouver, Wayne and Gale Yip watched their son pay tribute to his Chinese heritage while paving the way for a new generation of mainland hockey enthusiasts. Three of Brandon’s grandparents were born in China. He is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169355/winter-olympics-china-ice-hockey-team-captain-brandon-yips-journey-nhl?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169355/winter-olympics-china-ice-hockey-team-captain-brandon-yips-journey-nhl?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Mar 2022 02:15:23 +0000 Elite local kayaker Austin Chang Long-yin is hopeful that the Hong Kong paddle sports scene will take off with the city’s changing perception of sports as a career path. The 24-year-old, who already has more than a decade’s experience navigating Hong Kong’s waters ever since his father brought him to an open day in Sai Kung, had himself been through the stereotypical post-education dilemma. After graduating from the University of Hong Kong, Chang’s family expected him to “find a well-paid job”.... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3169349/elite-kayakers-dream-big-public-warms-towards-sport-tokyo-showed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3169349/elite-kayakers-dream-big-public-warms-towards-sport-tokyo-showed?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Mar 2022 01:15:16 +0000 Chinese Para biathletes Liu Zixu and Guo Yujie won the country’s first gold medals of the Beijing Winter Paralympics in the men’s sprint sitting and women’s sprint standing, respectively, on Saturday. The hosts got off to a super start on day one of the Games, shooting to second in the overall medal table with eight – two gold, three silver and three bronze medals. A much fired-up Ukraine leads the tally with three golds. Aside from Liu and Guo’s golds, teammates Shan Yilin won silver in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169360/winter-paralympics-china-wins-first-gold-thanks-biathlete-liu-zixu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169360/winter-paralympics-china-wins-first-gold-thanks-biathlete-liu-zixu?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Mar 2022 04:35:29 +0000 Team USA Nordic skier Grace Miller is tipped for a breakout performance in what will already be her second Winter Paralympics. The 22-year-old has been excitedly posting Beijing Games titbits on her social media, giving fans a glimpse of slick national team outfits, athlete’s village “smart” beds and 24/7 food supplies- but competing in the mainland holds a much deeper meaning. Born without a left forearm in Guangzhou, Miller was adopted by a single American mother at the age of three. She would... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169197/beijing-paralympics-grace-miller-china-born-us-cross-country-skier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3169197/beijing-paralympics-grace-miller-china-born-us-cross-country-skier?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Mar 2022 04:15:13 +0000 Hong Kong fencing king Cheung Ka-long’s campaign to reach the world’s No 1 ranking this year got off to a subdued start after bowing out of the FIE Cairo World Cup round of 32. The 24-year-old Olympic champion, who won a historic individual foil gold at the World Cup in Paris last month, missed a quarter-final place after losing to Tokyo Games team foil silver medallist Vladislav Mylnikov, of Russia, 15-12 in Egypt. No 1 seed Cheung was off to a great start, easing past American Daniel Zhang in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3168581/cheung-ka-long-bows-out-cairo-world-cup-hong-kong-foil-star-vows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3168581/cheung-ka-long-bows-out-cairo-world-cup-hong-kong-foil-star-vows?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Feb 2022 11:30:16 +0000 Former world No 1 Vivian Kong Man-wai had her Women’s Epée Sochi World Cup medal hopes snatched away after organisers appeared to unofficially cut short the event ahead of her semi-final. The event has been marred by controversy throughout as the International Fencing Federation (FIE), whose president is Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, allowed it to be held in Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine. Several entrants withdrew in protest ahead of and during the event – a reported 101 fencers... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3168577/hong-kong-fencer-vivian-kongs-sochi-world-cup-medal-match-abruptly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3168577/hong-kong-fencer-vivian-kongs-sochi-world-cup-medal-match-abruptly?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Feb 2022 09:23:48 +0000 Hong Kong-based Ukrainian professional footballer and coach Oleksii Shliakotin has not slept for three days since witnessing Russian military action in his homeland. The Hong Kong Rangers goalkeeper, who previously played for the Dynamo Kyiv and Ukrainian national youth teams, was on tenterhooks as bombs went off “two kilometres” from his parents’ home in his birthplace of Kyiv. “I don’t think it’s possible to describe in full what I feel right now,” said Shliakotin, who posted footage on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3168534/hong-kong-based-ukraine-footballer-oleksii-shliakotin-describes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3168534/hong-kong-based-ukraine-footballer-oleksii-shliakotin-describes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Feb 2022 23:00:31 +0000 Sky Brown became Great Britain’s youngest-ever Olympic medallist after winning bronze in Tokyo last year – but the 13-year-old skateboarding prodigy’s remarkable tale of recovery to get there is what truly sets her apart. In May 2020, Brown was left with a multiple-fractured skull and broken arm after a “horrific” half-pipe fall in training in California. Her father Stuart, who was filming, said his daughter was “lucky to be alive” having been unresponsive upon arrival at the hospital via an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3168494/skateboard-prodigy-sky-brown-recovery-horrific-injuries-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3168494/skateboard-prodigy-sky-brown-recovery-horrific-injuries-win?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Feb 2022 02:36:48 +0000