Tokyo 2020: Fighting fit Doo Hoi-kem ready for Tokyo after spending eight ‘amazing’ months in China training with the world’s best
- The 24-year Hong Kong-born player is in the form of her life after leaving for China in November and only returning home 10 days ago
- She will partner Hong Kong men’s star Wong Chun-ting and together they will be hoping for glory in mixed doubles
Mixed doubles will be introduced in Tokyo for the first time in the Olympic programme and Doo says her experience in China, where the country is considered a table tennis power, was time well spent as she managed to improve her fitness and technique to new levels.
Already a rising star in women’s singles, the 24-year-old said the move to train in China proved the right decision, as many of her counterparts had been struggling for competition and training opportunities since the pandemic wreaked havoc on the sporting calendar last year.
“I was so lucky to have played and train in China for the build-up to the Olympic Games,” said Doo, who returned to Hong Kong 10 days ago after starting her training stint on the mainland in November after the 2020 World Cup in China.
“I trained with the Chinese women’s first [senior] team for two months. They had three training sessions a day and they also had fitness sessions on top of that in the late evening. It was an amazing experience.”
