Bring home a medal: Hong Kong table tennis coach Chan Kong-wah sets benchmark for Olympics

Hong Kong coach Chan Kong-wah has urged his players to rise to the occasion at the Rio Games, saying he won’t be satisfied unless they come away with the team’s first Olympic medal in the sport in 12 years.

Not since the dynamic duo of Ko Lai-chak and Li Ching, who won silver in men’s doubles at the 2004 Athen Games, has Hong Kong been in the spotlight in the sport at the Games before and the Hong Kong coach is determined to help his team return to the winning podium be it gold, silver or bronze.

Four years ago, Hong Kong came close to a second table tennis Olympic medal, losing 3-1 to Germany in the bronze medal play-off of the men’s team competition at the London Olympics.

After announcing a six-member squad that comprises Wong Chun-ting, Tang Peng and Ho Kwan-kit in the men’s and Lee Ho-ching, Doo Hoi-kem and Tie Yana in the women’s, Chan said it was high time Hong Kong broke the mould to return to the podium.

“I won’t be satisfied if we fail to return with a medal from Rio,” said the coach, who will be sending his two teams to a final training camp in Beijing later this week.