Members of the Macau delegation to the 19th Asian Games, which will open in Zhejiang’s provincial capital of Hangzhou on Saturday next week, bid farewell to Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng at Government Headquarters yesterday afternoon, according to a statement from the Sports Bureau (ID).
The games will be held from September 23 to October 8. Hangzhou will be the third Chinese city to host the Asian Games, after Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010.
According to yesterday’s ID statement, the Macau delegation consisting of 273 members will compete in 21 sports.
Yesterday’s farewell ceremony was also attended by Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U, ID President Pun Weng Kun, and Ma Iao Hang, who heads the Sports and Olympic Committee of Macau, China.
The Macau delegation to the games in Hangzhou will be headed by Pun.
Delivering a speech, according to the statement, Ho said he expects the local athletes to perform their best and achieve good results in the games, winning honours for the nation and Macau. Ho also said that their competition in the upcoming Asian Games would enable the local athletes to be prepare themselves better for the 15th National Games, which will be jointly hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau in 2025.
According to the statement, Ma said during yesterday’s ceremony that the Asian Games is a “dream stage” for Macau athletes. Ma said he expects the delegation’s athletes to show their qualities in the competitions with unwavering determination to face challenges, overcoming themselves with the aim of proceeding to the path to victory, the statement said.
According to the statement, the local athletes will participate in 21 sports comprising aquatic games (swimming, water diving, artistic swimming), athletics, badminton, basketball (3x3), boxing, canoe sprint, cycling (track/road), dragon boats, fencing, golf, judo, karate-do, squash, table tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, wushu (taolu and sanda), intellectual games (Chinese chess, wei qi chess and electronic sports), shooting, tennis, and beach volleyball.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng (centre) hands a Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) flag to Ma Iao Hang (right), who heads the Sports and Olympic Committee of Macau, China, during yesterday’s farewell ceremony at Government Headquarters, as Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U applauds.
– Photo: ID
