Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu praised the “never-say-die spirit” of Hong Kong’s athletes at a flag presentation ceremony for the city’s delegation to the upcoming Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. The event took place at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin, where Lee officially handed over the flag to representatives of the more than 800-strong contingent preparing to compete.

Hong Kong will send approximately 580 athletes to compete across 38 sports in the Games, which are scheduled to run from September 19 to October 4. Lee expressed optimism that the team could achieve results surpassing those of the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where Hong Kong secured a record 53 medals, including eight gold, 16 silver, and 29 bronze.

“The athletes’ perseverance and never-say-die spirit on the field is the best reflection of the Hong Kong spirit,” Lee said. The delegation will be led by chef de mission Wong Po-kee, who acknowledged the challenges the team faces this year, including a smaller delegation and participation in fewer sports compared to previous editions. Despite this, Wong expressed hope that Hong Kong might exceed its past gold medal tally, which has been eight titles on three occasions, most recently in Hangzhou.

The selection of the team’s two flagbearers for the opening ceremony remains under discussion. Wong indicated that the choices would likely come from sports where Hong Kong has shown strong performance, aiming to represent the city well on the international stage.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui also attended the ceremony and reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting the city’s athletes through ongoing investments in policies and resources. The Hong Kong Jockey Club has reaffirmed its backing by funding the Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, which offers monetary rewards to medalists at the Games. Individual athletes who win gold, silver, or bronze medals will receive HK$1 million, HK$500,000, and HK$250,000 respectively, while teams earning medals will be awarded double these amounts to split among members.