Hong Kong Asian Games athletes surpass Guangzhou Games total
Competitors have surpassed the 40 podium places they achieved in Guangzhou four years ago, with bowling, karate and rugby contributing
Hong Kong made a key breakthrough in their total medal haul after adding four podium places in Incheon yesterday.
With three silver medals from karate, tenpin bowling and rugby, one bronze medal in the men's 4x100 metre relay, and two guaranteed from table tennis, they have won 42 medals, two more than the 40 they set in Guangzhou four years ago.
In the men's 4x100m relay, Hong Kong pulled off a major surprise by finishing third in a season-best 38.98 seconds. China won the gold in a new Asian record 37.99 seconds.
In karate, Lee Ka-wai was one step from a first-ever gold medal for his sport at the Asian Games, eventually losing to Saeid Hassanipour, of Iran, who won the men's under-75 kg final 2-0 at the Gyeyang Gymnasium.
Overall I am quite happy with my performance from the first match to the final, but a bit disappointed as I could not finish off the job
"Overall I am quite happy with my performance from the first match to the final, but a bit disappointed as I could not finish off the job," said Lee, who also won a bronze medal in Guangzhou four years ago.
"After winning a bronze at the last Games, I spent four years to try to win a gold in Incheon. But I must say the Iranian was very difficult to handle. Indeed, I lost to him 8-0 when we met in a tournament in Turkey last year. I have made progress against him this time but still it was not good enough."
Now 26, Lee said he was not sure if he would make a third attempt in Jakarta four years from now.
"Karate is a sport that requires a high level of physical fitness. I will be 30 for the next Games and it will be difficult to fight against the younger players. I have to keep my fingers crossed, although I would not mind if the chance is still there," he said
In the men's individual kata, Cheng Tsz-man finished in fifth place following his defeat in the bronze medal play-off by Marwan Almaazmi, of United Arab Emirates.
There were two bronze medals at stake.
His female counterpart Li Pui-ki was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the women's individual kata event.
In tenpin bowling, Wu Siu-hong scored his first individual medal in four Asiads with a silver in the men's masters at the Anyang Hogye Gymnasium.
Wu scored 3,465 pins after 16 games to finish second overall in the rankings. Park Jong-woo of the hosts came first with 3,491 while Shaker Al-Hassan of United Arab Emirates was third on 3,410 points.
