Macau men’s and women’s kumeite (amateurs) mass participation event at the 15th National Games karate competition was held on Saturday, with the Macau delegation securing two gold and two bronze medals.
In total, Macau has accumulated three gold and two bronze medals at the local segment of the 15th National Games – an all-time record for Macau’s participation in the National Games.
The karate competition took place between Thursday and Saturday at the Macau Forum in Zape.
The 15th National Games, held not just in Guangdong but also in Hong Kong and Macau, ends on November 21. The grand opening ceremony was held in Guangzhou last night. President Xi Jinping officially opened the Games.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai yesterday issued a congratulatory letter to the Macau karate team, extending his most “sincere and warmest” congratulations to the athletes for their “outstanding achievements” resulting in three gold and two bronze medals at the local segment of the 15th National Games.
Sam commended the athletes for their “rigorous training and dedication in bringing honour to Macau”, he encouraged the athletes to build upon this foundation, continue to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship and strive for further excellence in the future.
Saturday’s two gold medal winners are Fong Man Wai and Iong Kuang Hou. Both secured gold medals in the women’s 55kg category and the men’s 67kg category respectively. Saturday’s two bronze medal winners are Lei Hong Kio and Xu Jia Cheng, which they also secured in the women’s 55kg category and the men’s 67kg category respectively.
Fong is Macau’s first female gold medallist of the National Games.
In the women’s kumite 55kg category, the local team entered Fong Man Wai and Lei Hong Kio. The two teammates met in the Round of 16, with Fong advancing. Lei Hong Kio later gained a repechage* opportunity because Fong Man Wai reached the final. In the gold medal match, Fong faced an opponent from Henan and won 2-0 to claim the gold medal. Lei having qualified via the repechage, advanced to the bronze medal match, where she defeated an opponent from Jiangsu 4-0 to win the bronze.
In the men’s kumite 67kg category, Macau’s team was represented by Iong Kuang Hou and Xu Jia Cheng. The two karateka did not face each other in the early rounds and both advanced to the semi-finals. Iong first defeated a competitor from Guangdong 4-3 to secure his place in the final, while Xu narrowly lost to an opponent from Anhui, earning him a spot in the bronze medal match.
In the final, Iong faced an athlete from Anhui. After taking an early 1-0 lead, he conceded two consecutive points in the closing moments, falling behind. However, due to a foul committed by his opponent just before the end of the match, Iong was awarded the victory and claimed the gold medal. Xu defeated a Shandong opponent 2-1 in the bronze medal match to win the bronze.
On Thursday, the local men’s kata team clinched Macau’s first-ever gold medal at the National Games.
*“Second-chance”, i.e., athletes who lose to the finalists get a second chance to compete for a bronze medal through a repechage bracket. – DeepSeek
Sports Bureau (ID) Acting President See Lei Si Leng (front row, centre) poses with the local karate medals’ winners – Fong Man Wai (front row, third from right), Iong Kuang Hou (front row, second from left), Lei Hong Kio (front row, second from right), Xu Jia Cheng (front row, left), Cheang Pei Lok (back row, third from left), Fong Man Hou (back row, third from right), Kuok Kin Hang (back row, second from right), coaches and representatives at Macau Forum in Zape on Saturday. – Photo: Macau Sport Bureau
