Hong Kong has sent a record delegation including 586 athletes to compete in Indonesia at the 2018 Asian Games. That number represents the seventh biggest squad of the 45 nations participating at the August 18 to September 2 quadrennial.
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With a squad list longer than the likes of Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia – all countries that have significantly larger populations than Hong Kong – comes an inevitable (and reasonable) expectation that Hong Kong will be able to improve on its record haul of 42 medals that they achieved four years ago in Incheon and which earned them 13th in the medal table.
Cyclists Sarah Lee Wai-sze (right) and Vivian Ma Wing-yu represent two of Hong Kong’s best medal hopes. Photo: Nora Tam
The massive squad means there’s plenty of opportunity for the Hong Kong Sports Federation & Olympic Committee (SF&OC) to build on its tally of six golds, 12 silvers and 24 bronze medals from South Korea.
While nobody in an official capacity has publicly indicated a target haul this time around, it’s justified to expect an improvement on Hong Kong’s highest ever medal table finish of 10th, which they reached in 1986, as well as their best gold medal haul of eight from Guangzhou in 2010.
