Hong Kong wushu players ended their eight-year run without a gold medal at the Asian Games when Geng Xiaoling won the women's changquan at Nansha Gymnasium yesterday.
In the absence of mainland exponents, Geng, a Shandong native who arrived in Hong Kong after the 2005 National Games, topped the standings with a score of 9.75 points. Myanmar's Oo Sandi Oo scored 9.67 for silver, while Susyana Tjhan of Indonesia and Yuki Hiraoka of Japan shared the bronze medal in a rare tied result of 9.66 points in the traditional Chinese martial arts sport.
Geng's achievement also rounded off a successful campaign for Hong Kong in the taolu events, which saw a total of one gold and two silver medals. Hong Kong won only two silver medals at the last Games in Doha.
The wushu athlete had Hong Kong coach Yu Liguang to thank as she has become the second team member from Hong Kong after Ng Siu-ching to snatch an Asian Games wushu gold medal. Ng took gold in the women's nanquan at the 1998 Bangkok Games.
'I thought my career was over after committing some blunders at the 2005 National Games,' said the 26-year-old. 'When I was considering retirement, I got an invitation from Li to come to Hong Kong where I have rejuvenated my career.'
At last year's world championships in Toronto, Geng won a gold medal in the daoshu. She was also a champion in the daoshu/gunshu all-round at the 2009 East Asian Games. But she was forced to take in changquan because daoshu was not in the Guangzhou Games programme.
'Actually, I want to cry,' said Geng after her victory. 'I have prepared for the Games for a long and time, I had pressure. I feel tired, not only physically but also psychologically. It is very hard. I have knee and ankle injuries and a pulled leg muscle.
