Media briefing with Olympic athletes visiting HK: discussing the hottest topics

The delegation of Chinese mainland Olympic athletes from the Paris Olympics arrived in Hong Kong at noon on the 29th and held a press conference at 4 pm. Table tennis players Ma Long and Fan Zhendong, divers Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi, and 100m freestyle world record holder Pan Zhanle, among others, attended the press conference to share their experiences and expectations of their visit to Hong Kong.

The Chinese delegation secured an impressive 40 gold medals at the Paris Olympics, setting a record for the most gold medals won by a Chinese team at an overseas Olympics. Except for women's tennis singles gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, who is competing in the United States, all 59 gold medalists from the Paris Olympics arrived in Hong Kong. Additionally, six other medal-winning athletes who are popular among Hong Kong and Macao citizens also came to meet with the public.

The HKSAR Government's Commissioner for Sports, Sam Wong, revealed that tickets for the three public events featuring the Olympic athletes sold out within 40 minutes, demonstrating the eager anticipation of Hong Kong citizens towards these athletes.

"I'm very happy to be here in Hong Kong with the delegation for the first time," said table tennis player Fan Zhendong, expressing his hope for friendly and close interactions with all sectors of Hong Kong society. His teammate Ma Long added that he looks forward to engaging more with young people in Hong Kong and addressing rumors of his retirement by stating that he is still an active athlete and will inform everyone of any future changes.

"I've always had a deep love for Hong Kong's cuisine since my previous visits," said swimmer Zhang Yufei, who couldn't help but mention her favorite "shrimp dumplings" and "char siu buns (Steamed Barbecue Pork Buns)" in Cantonese. Speaking about the Olympics, she said that the experience has honed her courage in facing difficulties. While acknowledging that she may not be perfect, she has become better than three years ago.

Earlier, swimmer Pan Zhanle jokingly said in an interview that he hoped Hong Kong's children would look up to him as a role model. This time, he humbly responded by stating that he would continue to focus on his training and become a role model when he is more mature. As a 100m freestyle world record holder, he encouraged the new generation of youth to work hard and strive for the glory of the country without fear of hardship.

Quan Hongchan, the youngest triple gold medalist in China's Olympic history, sent her blessings to the young people of Hong Kong: "If you have a passion, go out and pursue it. Don't be afraid of failure." She expressed her gratitude to everyone for their support, saying, "Thank you so much for liking me."

Artistic swimmers Wang Liuyi and Wang Qianyi, who are set to enroll in the EdD program at the Education University of Hong Kong, have also garnered widespread attention from Hong Kong citizens. Wang Liuyi responded that choosing a Hong Kong university was to broaden her international horizons. She expressed her desire to combine her training experience with professional knowledge, contributing to the future development of artistic swimming in China.

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