Winter Olympics: Hong Kong flag-bearer Sidney Chu rues ‘missed opportunity’ after limited opening ceremony delegation

‘This is the largest delegation in Hong Kong history, but it didn’t seem like it’, says 22-year-old short-track speed skater Chu

Chef de mission Kwok outlines IOC’s ‘strict’ non-athlete fielding limits as others watched from the stands

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Hong Kong flag-bearer Sidney Chu with national team representatives at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony. Photo: Reuters

Published: 2:15pm, 6 Feb 2022

Hong Kong only fielded four delegates at the Beijing 2022 Games opening ceremony despite sending a record number of athletes in its Winter Olympics history – much to flag-bearer Sidney Chu’s disappointment.

The 22-year-old short-track speed skater was winged by mini Hong Kong flag-waving chef de mission Karl Kwok Chi-leung, Skiing Association of Hong Kong chairman Edmond Yue Kwok-yin and Hong Kong Skating Union chairman Yip Siu-yin at a rapturous Beijing National Stadium on Friday.

Alpine ski teammates Audrey King, Adrian Yung Hau-tsuen and head coach Marko Rudic were unable to attend the event after women’s slalom entrant King tested positive for Covid-19 last weekend, while “close contacts” Yung and Rudic were likewise subjected to precautionary measures.

Hong Kong short-track speed skater Sidney Chu and representative delegates at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Photo: AP

Hong Kong has a total of 13 delegates in Beijing, including athletes, coaches, physiotherapists, national Olympic committee (NOC) representatives and headquarters officials.

“This is the largest delegation in Hong Kong history, but it didn’t seem like it at the opening ceremony,” said Chu, who became an overnight hit on Chinese social media.

“We have two skiers and one short-track speedskating athlete – the first time we are able to [enter] more than one winter sports at a single Games.

“So I do feel like it’s a shame that they weren’t able to go. It would have been a really good opportunity to show the world. Even though the emphasis was on me, I really hoped the spotlight was on the three of us together, because as Olympians we have worked tirelessly to get here.”