Fans flock to beach volleyball finals in Hong Kong for fun, sand and something different

The beach volleyball competition at the National Games came to an end on Monday, bringing with it gold for some, disappointment for others and mixed reactions from fans attending the event in Hong Kong.

With the women’s finals selling out last Saturday, it was all about the men this time around and there was plenty of interest with fans coming from across the Greater Bay Area to watch the action.

Some 16,000 volunteers have been mobilised for the Games and people arriving at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay found entry to be smooth, thanks to more than a dozen helpers who helped check their tickets and bags.

Spectators were also invited to take an AI-generated photo in a booth, where they could choose one of four styles, ranging from comic-like to photorealistic, and have their face superimposed onto a beach volleyball player’s body.

Fans turning up around 5pm would have seen stands with only half the seats taken, and a game to decide the seventh and eighth place between Shaanxi and Hainan’s second team taking place.

While one local retiree, surnamed Chu, left early after expecting “more people and more energy”, plenty of others sitting in the stands were more than happy with the HK$200 they spent to attend.