Beijing Winter Olympics: Hong Kong Alpine skiers Adrian Yung and Audrey King ‘super proud’ and ‘forever grateful’ ahead of Games debut
- Yung, 17, and King, 19, greet local media from final Bosnia training camp as Beijing slopes beckon
- ‘We’ll give it more than 100 per cent to do those two runs perfectly,’ says head coach Rudic after Covid-19-affected season
Hong Kong’s Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Alpine skiers Adrian Yung Hau-tsuen and Audrey Alice King shared their final goals and reflections on the eve of the two week countdown to the Games.
Alongside head coach Marko Rudic, the pair appeared in a “Beijing Here We Come” video meet-and-greet from their training camp in Bosnia organised by the Ski Association of Hong Kong on Thursday.
King revealed she had been preparing for Olympic qualification despite sustaining an injury to her ankle and knee while training in Austria in November 2020. The 19-year-old had to undergo MRI scans and three weeks’ rest before resuming training.
“It was just pure joy. I remember hugging my coach, and he said ‘I’m proud of you!’,” said former Youth Olympian King, reflecting on the moment she qualified.
King capped a stellar pre-Olympic campaign with second-place finishes at the National Championships and Kolasin Cup in the giant slalom and slalom, respectively, last month.
“I’m super proud to represent Hong Kong, being its second group of [skiers] at the Winter Olympics,” said King.
“This is my first race against top skiers in the world, so the goal is just to be myself and ski to the best of my ability. If I can do that, I’ll be happy no matter what.”
For 17-year-old former British Alpine junior champion Yung, the goal is to break into Beijing’s top 50. His results over the season – most notably a fourth-place giant slalom finish in the Kolasin Cup in Montenegro in December – suggest he is in peak condition.
“Entering the top 50 would be pretty decent – top 30 would be a dream come true,” said Yung, who added he was “in disbelief” after learning he had qualified for his first Games last year.
“It’s definitely a great honour [to represent Hong Kong] and it feels incredible to have a goal from a young age to be achieved so quickly. I’m forever grateful for all the support it took to get to where I am today.
“It’s been quite a long and challenging season – I spent it training for races the entire time – and I wasn’t really focused on qualifying because I never thought I’d have the opportunity so quickly. I was more focused on how to better myself in skiing.”
Coach Rudic, a former Olympian skier, said he was “beyond proud” and “very emotional” of the pair’s achievements, particularly after a Covid-19-affected season.
“Training and the whole process wasn’t easy with the restrictions – we didn’t know if we could cross borders or go to certain training spots,” he said, adding that they finally found a base in his native Bjelasnica, Bosnia, a former Olympic ski venue.
“The whole summer was kind of stressful but I was trying not to show it to the athletes. All the injuries we faced, driving 500 or 600km a day to find spots, and knowing the Olympics were nearing … but we managed it despite the challenges.
“We’ve had the best possible preparation to get good results, but it’s hard to say what to expect. We just know we’ll give it more than 100 per cent to do those two runs perfectly – to transfer what we have in our heads on to the course.”
Association chairman Edmond Yue Kwok-yin was delighted with Yung and King’s history making performances. Hong Kong are sending a men’s and women’s Alpine skier to the Winter Olympics for the first time ever.
“Since Beijing was announced as host city for the 2022 Winter Games, it has been our vision to have skiers represent Hong Kong, China,” he said. “We are delighted with their amazing achievements in what has been an arduous journey of dedication and commitment in challenging times.”
The team will remain in Bosnia until January 28 before jetting to Beijing.
