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Tokyo Paralympics: Hong Kong’s Leung Yuk-wing one win away from medal as teammates miss out on semi-final showdown
- The reigning Rio 2016 champion eases into the semi-final with an 8-0 domination of Slovakian opponent Balcova
- Lau and Yeung lose in respective individual quarter-final games as team looks to next week’s mixed pair rounds
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Hong Kong’s last hopes of a Tokyo 2020 Games individual boccia medal rest on two-time Paralympic gold medallist Leung Yuk-wing’s shoulders after he soared into the BC4 individual semi-final on Tuesday.
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The 36-year-old dumped out Slovakian opponent Michaela Balcova 8-0 in the quarter-final at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, dominating throughout and closing the fourth round with three points.
World No 5 Leung – the Rio 2016 champion in the category, and Athens 2004 gold medal and Beijing 2008 silver medallist – will face Pornchok Laryen of Thailand in the semi-final this evening.
Should Leung win he will be one match away from a crack at defending his Olympic title. He is already guaranteed at least a shot at a bronze medal in what is his fifth consecutive Paralympic Games.
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Unfortunately, it was not the same story for BC4 teammate Vivian Lau Wai-yan, who lost to another Slovak in Samuel Andrejcik 1-4 in the quarters. The 42-year-old former world champion scored a consolation point in the final round but could not repeat her form from the previous preliminary games.
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