Paris Paralympics: Hong Kong pair ‘honoured’ to carry city’s flag at opening ceremony
- Table tennis player Wong Ting-ting and badminton veteran Daniel Chan will lead delegation into opening ceremony in French capital
Women’s table tennis player Wong Ting-ting and men’s badminton player Daniel Chan Ho-yuen have been named as Hong Kong’s flag bearers for the opening ceremony at the Paris Paralympics.
Dr John Leung Lai-yin, chef de mission for the city’s delegation for the Games, made the announcement at Hong Kong International Airport on Saturday evening, about four hours before the athletes boarded their flight to Paris.
Chan, who won bronze in Tokyo three years ago, said it was an honour to be chosen to carry the city’s flag in Paris, and revealed he would be retiring from international competition once the Olympics
“I have some luck, and the HKPC [Hong Kong Paralympic Committee] takes care of me a lot, and chose me to be the flag bearer,” Chan said.
“I feel so lucky, and to be a flag bearer will make me more and more confident to go into the matches.”
Chan said his goal for the Games in the French capital was to “change the colour of my medal in Tokyo”.
“Whatever the colour change, it’ll be good, better than last time,” Chan added.
Wong, who also won bronze in Japan, is currently the No 3 ranked female player in her category, competing with an intellectual disability. In Paris, the 20-year-old will compete between August 29 and September 7.
Chan began representing Hong Kong in international competition in 2010, two years after losing his leg in a car accident.
The three-time Asian bronze medallist said he had a “lack of confidence until I met badminton”.
“I’m born in a public estate, and I’m not born in a very rich family … but badminton built me, built my body and built my confidence,” Chan said.
“To be a representative in this delegation means that I’ve really come out from the disasters.”
Despite battling repeated injuries over the past three years, the 39-year-old said his results meant any challenges he had endured were not without purpose.
“Now when I look back, everything was worth it,” Chan said. “The car crash is the thing that makes me improve and made me who I am today.”
Chan said HKPC and coaches had done their utmost to prepare the athletes for the challenges they would face in Paris.
“They do everything they can, a lot of training, they give us chances to go out for all the tournaments,” Chan said. “And the most important thing is they have so much faith in me, so with a strong team and strong support, I think we are going to do good.”
Chan’s family will embark on a 13-hour journey to watch him compete in his final international tournament.
“It is so touching for me … I’m very excited, nervous and stressed because they’re coming, but I get more power from that,” Chan said.
