https://www.scmp.com/rss/47492/feed Hong Kong and international sports news, comment and opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang Photos of a female swimmer who suffered a wardrobe malfunction were displayed on an official race platform for more than an hour during a mainland open-water event, with organisers blaming the vetting lapse on the high volume of contestants. Another athlete, surnamed Zhang, condemned the “inappropriate photography” at the 2026 Xing-Quan Dishui Lake Swim-Crossing Challenge on her social media account three days ago, but organisers had not issued an official statement or apology by Tuesday. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354907/chinese-event-organisers-slammed-after-displaying-photos-swimmers-wardrobe-malfunction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354907/chinese-event-organisers-slammed-after-displaying-photos-swimmers-wardrobe-malfunction?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan German table tennis great Timo Boll sees Fan Zhendong as a sensitive and open-minded individual with a constant desire to explore, learn and improve, both as a player and as a person. The now-retired former World Cup winner also said that his friendship with China’s Olympic champion, who is 16 years his junior, had evolved into something far beyond the sporting realm ever since they first competed against each other in Suzhou in 2015. Boll was unable to beat his close friend in 11 attempts, but... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354860/east-gets-west-surprising-friendship-between-chinese-and-german-table-tennis-stars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354860/east-gets-west-surprising-friendship-between-chinese-and-german-table-tennis-stars?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 09:30:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The manager of the Yomiuri Giants, one of Japan’s most popular baseball teams, resigned on Tuesday after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting his teenage daughter. Shinnosuke Abe allegedly grabbed the 18-year-old and forced her to the floor at their home in central Tokyo on Monday evening, reported national broadcaster NHK and Kyodo News, citing unnamed police sources. “Leaving like this really means I’m causing you a lot of trouble, and I feel truly sorry about that,” Abe told a hastily... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3354830/top-japan-baseball-boss-arrested-over-alleged-assault-teen-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3354830/top-japan-baseball-boss-arrested-over-alleged-assault-teen-daughter?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 03:00:51 +0000 Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang A new women’s javelin Asian record of 71.74 metres has served as a coming-of-age gift for Chinese youngster Yan Ziyi, achieved as it was a day after her 18th birthday at the Diamond League Xiamen. On Saturday night, the teenage phenom significantly raised the Asian record by nearly four metres to claim the gold medal on her very first attempt before passing on her remaining five throws, while also climbing to second on the world all-time list. The performance shattered the previous Asian mark of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354803/meet-yan-ziyi-chinese-teen-who-cannot-give-and-taking-womens-javelin-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354803/meet-yan-ziyi-chinese-teen-who-cannot-give-and-taking-womens-javelin-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li A Hong Kong NGO is working to break down barriers in sport by creating inclusive fitness and running opportunities for people with visual impairment and other special needs. Founded in 2022 by personal trainer and class instructor Aileen Wong, IncluFit provides free, accessible group fitness classes for people with special needs, including those with Down syndrome and autism, wheelchair users, and for the visually impaired and blind population. The classes, led by volunteer coaches with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3354802/hong-kong-ngo-helping-break-down-fitness-barriers-those-special-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3354802/hong-kong-ngo-helping-break-down-fitness-barriers-those-special-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:26 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev was the only athlete to beat a world record at the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas on Sunday, winning the men’s 50m freestyle at the divisive event where competitors were allowed to take performance-enhancing substances that have sparked health concerns. His time of 20.81 seconds – which is not considered official – came in the final event of the night, sparing the blushes of organisers who had predicted that multiple world records would be surpassed due to an open... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3354735/enhanced-games-swimmer-gkolomeev-beats-50m-freestyle-world-record-drug-fuelled-contest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3354735/enhanced-games-swimmer-gkolomeev-beats-50m-freestyle-world-record-drug-fuelled-contest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 06:15:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters A photographer shooting the final day of the World Surf League (WSL) in New ⁠Zealand was injured by what organisers suspect was a sea lion or shark bite on Monday, forcing the event to be put on hold for several hours. The New Zealand Pro semi-final between Brazilian world champions Yago Dora and Italo Ferreira at Raglan was halted after the ‌in-water photographer suffered puncture wounds and needed medical attention, the WSL said. “This morning one of the water photography team suffered a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3354709/wildlife-injury-forces-new-zealand-surfing-event-be-put-hold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3354709/wildlife-injury-forces-new-zealand-surfing-event-be-put-hold?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 00:58:45 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Yan Ziyi gave notice of a new force in women’s javelin at the World Athletics Diamond League meeting in Xiamen, obliterating the Asian record with a performance that came close to setting a new world best. The Chinese 18-year-old’s first throw of 71.74 metres easily eclipsed the previous regional high of 67.98m held by compatriot Lyu Huihui, and also shattered Yan’s own junior world record of 65.89m. Such was the strength of her performance on Saturday that Yan’s distance would not only have... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354664/chinese-teen-shatters-asian-world-junior-javelin-record-goes-close-new-worlds-best?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354664/chinese-teen-shatters-asian-world-junior-javelin-record-goes-close-new-worlds-best?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 06:48:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters Olympic champion Masai Russell feels she is inching closer to breaking the 100m hurdles world record after finally getting over the mental hurdles of fear and self-doubt that plagued her throughout 2025. Russell clocked a personal best of 12.17 seconds in May last year, 0.05 seconds short of Tobi Amusan’s world record, but ‌was unable to maintain consistency as she missed out on the podium at the World Championships, finishing fourth. But this year, the 25-year-old American is aiming for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3354562/olympic-champion-masai-russell-overcomes-mental-hurdles-inch-closer-world-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3354562/olympic-champion-masai-russell-overcomes-mental-hurdles-inch-closer-world-record?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang In women’s long-distance running, athletes typically rely on coaches or professional pacers for motivation, but at a university sports event recently held in northern China, one student was encouraged by a fluffy, five-month-old campus resident named Bandeng. The stray puppy became an overnight internet sensation after a video of it entering the track to accompany a female student at the end of her 3,000-metre race gained millions of views on Chinese social media platforms. The dog must have... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354482/every-dog-has-its-day-stray-puppy-steals-show-chinese-university-sports-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354482/every-dog-has-its-day-stray-puppy-steals-show-chinese-university-sports-event?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 06:10:22 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li Fifty-one kilometres of open ocean, with no land in sight for the first hour: that is the reality of the Kaiwi Solo, a 51km (32-mile) outrigger canoe race across Hawaii’s Kaiwi Channel, widely regarded as one of the most demanding open-water crossings in the sport. “You cannot see a thing – you have no point of reference,” said Alex Hunter. “It is extremely disorienting and unnerving setting off. It’s not until about an hour into the race that you can start to visualise where you are... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3354415/hong-kong-outrigger-canoeists-pass-kaiwi-solo-open-ocean-test-and-aim-tackle-it-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3354415/hong-kong-outrigger-canoeists-pass-kaiwi-solo-open-ocean-test-and-aim-tackle-it-again?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball Hong Kong exceeded expectations as a SailGP venue and the government’s decision to award next year’s race ‘M’ Mark status merely highlighted the “very positive” reception the sport has received in the city, its co-founder said on Thursday. A day after revealing that Victoria Harbour would make its debut as the stage for the first race of the 2027 season, Russell Coutts told the South China Morning Post that bringing the sport to Hong Kong had been on his mind for some time, but in the end it all... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3354411/hong-kongs-energy-global-influence-key-attracting-sailgp-coutts-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3354411/hong-kongs-energy-global-influence-key-attracting-sailgp-coutts-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 14:03:38 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Chinese table tennis megastar Sun Yingsha said she could resonate with the late Kobe Bryant after reading the autobiography of the former Los Angeles Lakers superstar during the closed training period before the World Championships. China beat Japan 3-2 in the women’s final at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in London behind two solid wins from Sun, who remained undefeated in nine outings in the English capital as China won their 24th world title. In a pre-recorded interview with state... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354381/chinas-kobe-sun-yingsha-deeply-inspired-after-reading-book-late-nba-star-bryant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3354381/chinas-kobe-sun-yingsha-deeply-inspired-after-reading-book-late-nba-star-bryant?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Josh Ball Josh Ball SailGP has signed a three-year deal to bring its unique brand of racing to Hong Kong, and with China targeted for “strategic long-term growth”, the sport’s co-founder hopes a local team will again be part of the action. Russell Coutts was in the city on Wednesday to unveil the schedule for the 2027 season, which will start in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour for the first time. With other races across Australia, Europe, North America, South America and the Middle East, officials said next year’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3354162/rolex-sailgp-championship-begin-2027-season-hong-kongs-victoria-harbour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3354162/rolex-sailgp-championship-begin-2027-season-hong-kongs-victoria-harbour?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 02:58:05 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan There was no loss of love for Fan Zhendong after his 1. FC Saarbruecken team retained their Champions League men’s title on Sunday, despite the Chinese table tennis star losing both of his matches. Powered by Olympic silver medallist Truls Moregard, the German side, playing at home, overcame French rivals Alliance Nimes/Montpellier 3-2 in a dramatic final at the Saarlandhalle. And while not involved with the China national team, state broadcaster CCTV, and six other different platforms screened... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353941/feeling-love-fan-gets-outpouring-support-despite-mixed-champs-league-finals-display?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353941/feeling-love-fan-gets-outpouring-support-despite-mixed-champs-league-finals-display?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 06:28:27 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Rylee White had never even heard of the fast-paced sport of handball until her roommate mentioned a TikTok video about tryouts in Los Angeles for the US Olympic women’s team – no experience necessary. White, a 27-year-old screenwriter, knew she had to go. She wasn’t the only one. More than 150 women – buoyed by the viral video – attended the tryouts in January, a fivefold increase from previous turnouts. Five months later, White is one of a handful of women who have packed their bags and moved... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3353863/tiktok-team-usa-women-who-are-training-olympic-sport-theyd-never-heard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3353863/tiktok-team-usa-women-who-are-training-olympic-sport-theyd-never-heard?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 15:00:06 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Hong Kong’s fencers all came up short at the Shanghai Grand Prix on Sunday, and world No 1 Ryan Choi Chun-yin lost to an opponent who had not beaten him since before Covid. With the Asian and World Championships fast approaching, teenager Harris Ho Shing-him managed to go the furthest, making it to the third round before crashing out. Still, the results reinforced head coach Greg Koenig’s belief in the foil quartet he has selected for the Asian tournament in Delhi next month, and the World... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3353883/hong-kong-fencing-coach-happy-team-despite-lacklustre-display-shanghai-grand-prix?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3353883/hong-kong-fencing-coach-happy-team-despite-lacklustre-display-shanghai-grand-prix?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 10:33:32 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Armand “Mondo” Duplantis cruised to pole vault victory in the opening Diamond League meeting of the season on Saturday, but failed to improve his own world record. There was a surprise in the men’s 100m as Gift Leotlela of South Africa pipped Ferdinand Omanyala and Kenneth Bednarek in a photo finish to win a Diamond League event for the first time. High-quality women’s 200m and 100m hurdles were won by Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson and Olympic champion Masai Russell, respectively, but Karsten... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353837/armand-duplantis-wins-shanghai-diamond-league-meet-fails-world-record-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353837/armand-duplantis-wins-shanghai-diamond-league-meet-fails-world-record-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 14:31:53 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Global snooker chiefs are not concerned that a new professional league in China will lead to a player talent drain, instead seeing it as a pathway into the elite world tour rather than a direct rival. The newly formed China Billiards Club Professional League, which gets under way next week, features eight teams across Chinese cities playing 432 matches, in a home-and-away format, before an inaugural champion is crowned in late December. Largely focused on giving the country’s rising stars... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353723/chinas-new-professional-league-not-threat-world-snooker-tour-sports-chiefs-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353723/chinas-new-professional-league-not-threat-world-snooker-tour-sports-chiefs-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Former Manchester United and England star David Beckham has become Britain’s first billionaire sportsman, according to the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List. Beckham and his wife Victoria’s collective wealth reached an estimated £1.185 billion (US$1.583 billion) this year, the Rich List compilers said. That moved them into second place in the list of the UK’s wealthiest athletes, behind the family of former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, whose wealth was valued at £2 billion. Beckham, who retired... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3353750/ex-man-united-england-star-david-beckham-becomes-first-british-billionaire-sportsman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3353750/ex-man-united-england-star-david-beckham-becomes-first-british-billionaire-sportsman?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 14:00:07 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Chinese diving starlet Quan Hongchan has again split opinion on social media, this time by posting an emotional update about her sick mother’s return to hospital. In releasing a limited-time live-story update on her official Douyin account, Quan posted a photo of her mother lying in bed in hospital. The picture, which shows Quan holding Feng Lingmei’s hand, comes with the touching caption “Love you, mum”. Her father, Quan Wenmao, who is a farmer, also shared details about his wife’s time being... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353698/olympic-champion-quan-hongchans-emotional-post-over-mums-health-woes-divides-internet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353698/olympic-champion-quan-hongchans-emotional-post-over-mums-health-woes-divides-internet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 09:30:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Serial world record setter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis will be on hand to kick off this season’s Diamond League series when he takes to the pole vault runway at the Shanghai/Keqiao meet this weekend. The US-born Swede will be joined by Kenya’s middle-distance queen Faith Kipyegon, Norway’s hurdles king Karsten Warholm, Botswana’s Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo and Nigerian 100m hurdler Tobi Amusan in what promises to be a high-octane start to the 15-meet series. This year’s Diamond League... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3353645/two-time-olympic-champion-armand-duplantis-kicks-diamond-league-season-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3353645/two-time-olympic-champion-armand-duplantis-kicks-diamond-league-season-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 05:00:05 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li Japan’s table tennis players have said they were closing the gap with China, but beating world No 1 Sun Yingsha was a must if they are to ever win gold. They said their narrow defeat to China in the World Team Table Tennis Championships final last weekend has offered fresh insight into how the gap between the two sides can be closed, with one key being the need to break away from conventional styles. Japan’s women’s team lost 3-2 to China in London on Sunday, extending their run of silver medals... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353603/gap-china-closing-japanese-table-tennis-team-say-beating-sun-yingsha-still-key?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353603/gap-china-closing-japanese-table-tennis-team-say-beating-sun-yingsha-still-key?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 16:00:05 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan A former coach of Chinese snooker rising star Wu Yize said the reigning world champion was playing a “perfect” game and did not need to change anything going forward. The Chinese youngster could also be considered a better player than a couple of other former world champions when they were at his current age of 22. Well regarded as one of the most aggressive and offensive players, Wu was often labelled a scoring machine with few safety games to his credit, but Django Fung, who coached Wu for 13... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353529/chinas-world-snooker-champion-wu-yize-playing-perfect-game-says-ex-coach-django-fung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353529/chinas-world-snooker-champion-wu-yize-playing-perfect-game-says-ex-coach-django-fung?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 07:00:47 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li The Great Wall Marathon, in which runners will tackle more than 5,000 steps and slopes of 70 degrees in parts, will return on Saturday – as will 67-year-old Henrik Brandt, the only runner to have completed all 22 previous editions of the race. Brandt from Denmark, who has travelled to China each year specifically for the marathon, will join more than 2,000 runners from 61 countries and regions in a race billed as China’s most expensive marathon and one of its toughest. “Because it was here that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353320/danish-pensioner-continues-22-year-love-affair-chinas-great-wall-marathon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353320/danish-pensioner-continues-22-year-love-affair-chinas-great-wall-marathon?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 04:00:06 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li China’s table tennis authorities have come under fire online after announcing their selection criteria for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in September. The Chinese Table Tennis Association released the criteria on Tuesday, with different standards for the men’s and women’s teams. The selections will determine the five-player line-ups for the team events, with the same five players used for the five individual events: men’s singles, women’s singles, mixed doubles, men’s doubles and women’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353453/online-community-attacks-selection-criteria-chinas-asian-games-table-tennis-teams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353453/online-community-attacks-selection-criteria-chinas-asian-games-table-tennis-teams?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 16:00:10 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Hong Kong fencing squad members and those on the fringes of teams have one last chance on the mainland this week to make the cut for two major tournaments. The Shanghai Grand Prix, the last event of the regular season, will help coaches decide who makes the cut for next month’s Asian Fencing Championships in India and the World Fencing Championships in Hong Kong in July. Only those with a top four Hong Kong ranking will represent the city, and in the men’s foil team there is just one place up... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3353290/young-hong-kong-fencers-shanghai-battle-make-teams-asian-world-championships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3353290/young-hong-kong-fencers-shanghai-battle-make-teams-asian-world-championships?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 12:00:06 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Back-to-back world snooker championship victories by China’s Zhao Xintong and Wu Yize have sparked the formation of a new Chinese Billiards Club Professional League. Launched on Sunday, the new CBL will feature eight teams competing over the course of eight months, playing 432 matches in a home-and-away format, with the first fixtures scheduled for next Wednesday. League position will determine the draw for the quarter-finals in early October, with a grand final schedule for the last week in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353271/china-launches-8-team-pro-snooker-league-targets-becoming-powerhouse-sport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353271/china-launches-8-team-pro-snooker-league-targets-becoming-powerhouse-sport?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 10:00:32 +0000 Mike Chan,Stephy Zhang Mike Chan,Stephy Zhang China’s men and women continued their total dominance of the World Team Table Tennis Championships in London on Sunday, and the former’s easy win over Japan again raised questions about the future of star Fan Zhendong. The Olympic champion has not played for his country since claiming gold in Paris two years ago, and quit the International Table Tennis Federation rankings just months later. While he has kept busy playing in Germany and in some tournaments at home, there has been little sign of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353162/no-fan-no-problem-chinas-men-questions-remain-over-olympic-champs-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353162/no-fan-no-problem-chinas-men-questions-remain-over-olympic-champs-future?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 11:00:05 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Wu Yize and Zhao Xintong’s victories at the World Championship will help to boost the growth of snooker in China, while removing the stench of corruption and match-fixing, sport insiders believe. Jason Ferguson, chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, previously suggested the interest that greeted Wu’s triumph over Shaun Murphy could help the sport’s Olympics ambitions. And Django Fung, who manages top players, including world No 2 Neil Robertson and Murphy, said... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353032/snooker-boom-can-raise-sport-level-table-tennis-china-end-stench-match-fixing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3353032/snooker-boom-can-raise-sport-level-table-tennis-china-end-stench-match-fixing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:19 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Fencing world champion Ryan Choi Chun-yin boldly said on Saturday that he wanted to see the Hong Kong’s men climb to the top of the team world before he retires. The city will host the World Fencing Championships this summer, and Choi said it was time a team that had two athletes who had been ranked as the best in the sport should be bidding to do the same as a group. Speaking to media at an event previewing the championships in July, Choi and his teammates also pointed to the three World Cup... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3353006/fencing-no-1-ryan-choi-aims-put-hong-kong-top-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3353006/fencing-no-1-ryan-choi-aims-put-hong-kong-top-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang Wu Yize returned to China to a hero’s welcome when he appeared at a packed billiards club in Xi’an on Thursday night after winning the World Snooker Championship. The newly crowned champion only arrived back to China the night before, but he still attended the meet-and-greet from 7pm to midnight. The event included three sessions of autograph signings, photos and trick-shot performances, but the second session was reportedly cancelled due to overcrowding. The third session went ahead as... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352853/chinas-wu-yize-returns-heros-welcome-after-winning-world-snooker-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352853/chinas-wu-yize-returns-heros-welcome-after-winning-world-snooker-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 09:30:06 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Hong Kong head coach Li Ching remained positive despite the city’s men’s and women’s teams exiting the World Team Table Tennis Championships without a medal. The women’s team lost in the quarter-finals 3-1 to Germany on Thursday after the men were eliminated in the second round, also by the Germans, earlier in the week. With the Asian Games looming, Li was happy to take away the positives from the London tournament, especially in light of the women’s last-eight run. “We were very close to a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3352849/hong-kong-coach-takes-positives-world-team-table-tennis-championship-despite-lack-medals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3352849/hong-kong-coach-takes-positives-world-team-table-tennis-championship-despite-lack-medals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 05:30:05 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li A group of visually impaired Hongkongers have been training to compete in the Cigna Healthcare Hyrox Hong Kong 2026 race, which starts on Friday. Max Lam Kwai-hung, 23, will make his Hyrox debut in Saturday’s mixed doubles format alongside his event partner and guide runner Aileen Wong, founder and head coach of local NGO IncluFit. Born with congenital cataracts, Lam experienced deteriorating vision in his teens and is now totally blind. He started running last year after being introduced to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352768/visually-impaired-hongkonger-ready-challenge-making-hyrox-debut-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352768/visually-impaired-hongkonger-ready-challenge-making-hyrox-debut-city?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 10:28:31 +0000 Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Snooker’s bid to enter the Olympic Games will be boosted by having back-to-back world champions from China, the sport’s top official said on Tuesday. Wu Yize beat Shaun Murphy 18-17 in a dramatic world championship final on Monday to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Zhao Xintong, who became Asia’s first world champion 12 months ago. Britain has long been snooker’s traditional stronghold but China, where there are around 300,000 recognised snooker clubs, is the growing force in the game,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352530/snookers-push-get-olympics-gets-jolt-chinas-back-back-world-champions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352530/snookers-push-get-olympics-gets-jolt-chinas-back-back-world-champions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 15:00:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Chinese Taipei said on Tuesday that a safe environment was fundamental after one of its table tennis players reported “inappropriate physical contact” during a security check into a major London tournament. The player has not been officially named but local reports identified her as Cheng I-ching and she pledged on social media “to speak out for all female athletes”. The 34-year-old is the self-ruled island’s highest-ranked woman at the World Team Championships in London, but has not played a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352504/chinese-taipei-player-victim-inappropriate-contact-world-team-table-tennis-championships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352504/chinese-taipei-player-victim-inappropriate-contact-world-team-table-tennis-championships?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan In the history of the game, there had only ever been one snooker world champion from China before Monday – then Wu Yize doubled that number at the Crucible Theatre in thrilling fashion. An 18-17 victory over Shaun Murphy, hailed as marking the “golden era of Chinese snooker”, has propelled the 22-year-old to superstardom in his home country, with the hashtag “Wu Yize wins the World Championship” getting 40 million views on social media platform Weibo, where it topped the list of trending topics... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3352481/meet-wu-yize-new-snooker-world-champion-marking-games-golden-era-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3352481/meet-wu-yize-new-snooker-world-champion-marking-games-golden-era-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 09:30:05 +0000 Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Wu Yize became snooker’s second straight world champion from China after beating Shaun Murphy in a dramatic final-frame decider at the Crucible Theatre on Monday. With his 18-17 victory, the 22-year-old Wu is the second-youngest winner of the worlds after Stephen Hendry at age 21 in 1990. Wu follows in the footsteps of Zhao Xintong, who 12 months ago became the first-ever champion from Asia in a milestone moment for a game whose stronghold has always been in Britain. “All of a sudden, the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352430/world-snooker-championship-chinas-wu-yize-wins-title-first-time-dramatic-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352430/world-snooker-championship-chinas-wu-yize-wins-title-first-time-dramatic-final?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 02:07:37 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Cycling’s rising star Paul Seixas will compete at the Tour de France in July, with a whole country hoping that he can end a four-decade drought for French riders. The 19-year-old Frenchman, widely regarded as a potential great and France’s best hope for a future Tour de France winner, announced his participation at cycling’s showpiece race in a video released by his CMA CGM Decathlon team. Seixa’s precocity is rare. He has been in an impressive form this season, finishing runner-up to four-time... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352401/new-french-star-paul-seixas-race-tour-de-france-19-whole-country-watching?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352401/new-french-star-paul-seixas-race-tour-de-france-19-whole-country-watching?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Wu Yize could become only the second Chinese player to win the World Snooker Championship after establishing a 10-7 lead over Shaun Murphy on Sunday. A fiercely contested opening session at the Crucible Theatre saw both players end all square at 4-4. Wu, ranked 10th in the world, hit the ground running in the second session with breaks of 82 and 103 to move two frames ahead. Murphy, the world No 8, registered his first frame of the evening session with a break of 72, but his opponent duly... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352302/chinas-wu-edges-ahead-murphy-final-world-snooker-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352302/chinas-wu-edges-ahead-murphy-final-world-snooker-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 01:12:14 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Hong Kong’s men’s foil team claimed a narrow victory over their rivals Japan at the FIE Foil World Cup in Turkey on Sunday. The 45-43 quarter-final win in Istanbul ensured that Hong Kong, despite their semi-final 45-38 loss to world No 1 Italy which sent them into the bronze-medal match against the United States, slightly extended the point difference between the teams in the world rankings. With a win in Paris and a second place in Cairo already to their names this season, Hong Kong have 274... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3352286/hong-kong-fencers-extend-world-rankings-lead-over-japan-fie-foil-world-cup-turkey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3352286/hong-kong-fencers-extend-world-rankings-lead-over-japan-fie-foil-world-cup-turkey?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 13:32:18 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Wu Yize booked his spot in the World Championship final after beating Mark Allen, making him only the third Chinese player to achieve the milestone after Ding Junhui and Zhao Xintong. The Gansu native will face Shaun Murphy in the first two sessions of the showpiece match on Sunday, with play resuming shortly after lunch and in the evening on Monday local time. Wu, who had never won a match at the Crucible before this year, rode his luck in the semi-final after Allen had multiple opportunities... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3352269/wu-yize-still-battling-nerves-despite-reaching-final-world-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3352269/wu-yize-still-battling-nerves-despite-reaching-final-world-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 09:21:48 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Hong Kong’s lacrosse officials remained confident that the sport is still on course to receive elite status through the city’s premier training centre, despite the recent setback at the Asian Lacrosse Games in China last month. The lacrosse team required two gold medals at the event to seal its status as a Tier B sport under the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) from the start of next year. The city’s men’s team delivered by beating hosts China 12-9 in Chengdu to clinch gold, however, the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3352226/hong-kongs-lacrosse-officials-remain-upbeat-sport-track-qualify-elite-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3352226/hong-kongs-lacrosse-officials-remain-upbeat-sport-track-qualify-elite-status?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang Resisting rigid career templates, four-time women’s world chess champion Hou Yifan balances a spontaneous lifestyle with clear-eyed purpose – from helping drive women’s competition reforms to her PhD research into the cognitive benefits of her game. Only the third woman to have placed in the world’s top 100, following Maia Chiburdanidze and Judit Polgár, Hou has held the women’s world No 1 ranking since 2015. The 32-year-old secured her first women’s world title 16 years ago, three years after... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352175/chinas-hou-yifan-world-chess-champion-who-changes-rules-and-pushes-boundaries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352175/chinas-hou-yifan-world-chess-champion-who-changes-rules-and-pushes-boundaries?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 04:00:24 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Wu Yize and Mark Allen have contested the longest frame in Crucible Theatre history during their World Championship semi-final, a 100 minutes and 21 seconds epic that was described variously as “horrendous” and “an embarrassment to snooker”. Chinese star Wu, 22, competing in the last four for the first time, saw his four-frame lead disappear at the outset of the second session, as Allen recovered from 6-2 down to lead 7-6, before the pair became locked in an interminable 14th frame. A 55-minute... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352201/china-star-wu-yize-contests-embarrassing-and-horrendous-world-championship-frame?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352201/china-star-wu-yize-contests-embarrassing-and-horrendous-world-championship-frame?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 02:30:35 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Hong Kong head coach Li Ching has called on the younger players to continue to help shoulder the pressure after the city’s men’s and women’s teams both qualified for the knockout stages of the World Team Table Tennis Championships on Friday. The men’s team reached the knockout stage as group winners following a convincing 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia and earlier wins against South Africa and Nigeria. The city’s women’s team beat the Netherlands, Mexico and Macau to also win their group at the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3352168/hong-kong-head-coach-calls-young-players-support-team-table-tennis-championships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3352168/hong-kong-head-coach-calls-young-players-support-team-table-tennis-championships?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 13:00:15 +0000 Ada Li Ada Li World Table Tennis CEO Steve Dainton will step down from his role on Friday, just four months after taking on the job on a full-time basis and as financial results underlined the challenges facing the sport. Dainton, who has spent more than 20 years in the sport and led the creation and growth of the organisation in 2019, will also step away from his position on its board. He will remain in an advisory role in the coming months to support the transition, while the search for his successor has... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352029/wtt-ceo-steve-dainton-steps-down-4-months-full-time-role-amid-financial-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3352029/wtt-ceo-steve-dainton-steps-down-4-months-full-time-role-amid-financial-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Chinese snooker rising star Wu Yize said he would need to do better both offensively and defensively after reaching the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship on Wednesday. A 13-8 win over Hossein Vafaei propelled the 2022 rookie of the year to the last four at the Crucible Theatre for the first time, where he will face Mark Allen, after the Northern Irishman edged past Barry Hawkins 13-11 in an earlier quarter-final. “I am delighted that I could play in a way that I truly enjoy in such a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3351974/world-snooker-championship-rising-china-star-wu-yize-reaches-last-4-zhao-xintong-ousted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3351974/world-snooker-championship-rising-china-star-wu-yize-reaches-last-4-zhao-xintong-ousted?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:04:29 +0000 Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang It took climber Ali Salimian five days to get from his home in Iran to China as he chased his dream of qualifying for the Asian Games – three weeks later, he is still on the mainland, preparing for this weekend’s World Cup and thankful for the kindness of strangers. As is the case with many elite athletes in Iran, Salimian’s participation in international competition is usually self-funded. Not easy at the best of times, organising this particular trip was made much harder by the US and Israel... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3351825/iranian-climber-stay-world-series-event-china-thanks-kindness-strangers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3351825/iranian-climber-stay-world-series-event-china-thanks-kindness-strangers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:21 +0000 SCMP Sport,Agence France-Presse SCMP Sport,Agence France-Presse China’s top anti-corruption body said on Wednesday it was investigating the head of the country’s badminton association for “serious violations of discipline and law”. Olympic gold medallist Zhang Jun, chairman of the Chinese Badminton Association (CBA) and vice-president of the Nanjing Sport Institute, has been placed “under disciplinary review”, it said on its website. Jun is also being investigated by the Nantong Municipal Supervisory Commission in eastern Jiangsu province, the statement... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3351897/chinas-anti-corruption-body-probes-badminton-association-chief-zhang-jun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3351897/chinas-anti-corruption-body-probes-badminton-association-chief-zhang-jun?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:48:10 +0000