Familiar face: Veteran Tie Yana makes Hong Kong team for Rio Olympics for her fourth Games appearance
The 37-year-old star will compete in the women’s team competition after making the squad and she’s expected to lend her vast experience to her younger teammates
Tie Yana will make her fourth Olympic appearance in Rio this summer after the veteran was included in the team competition on the Hong Kong squad.
Tie has been very consistent this year despite her age
Tie, 37, will join youngsters Lee Ho-ching and Doo Hoi-kem in the women’s team. Tie was picked ahead of another veteran Jiang Huajun. In the men’s team, youngster Ho Kwan-kit received the nod ahead of Jiang Tianyi as the third player behind Wong Chun-ting and Tang Peng, Tie’s husband.
“Tie has been very consistent this year despite her age and her experience will definitely help the two younger teammates,” said head coach Chan Kong-wah.
At the Hungarian Open in January, Tie overcame Yang Haeun of South Korea to clinch the singles title. The veteran reached both the singles quarter-finals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and steered the team to fifth place in the London Games four years ago.
She could not take part in the singles in Rio after she was struck by flu, which prevented her from playing in the regional qualifying tournament in Hong Kong in April, a prerequisite for taking part in the Rio singles competition.
