Hongkongers were treated to a watersports showcase by mainland Chinese Olympians on Saturday, with divers performing all manner of special flips and tricks unseen at the Games as swimmers wowed the crowd with a relay event.
Among the audience were two past national diving queens, Olympic gold medallists Fu Mingxia and Guo Jingjing. The pair were later seen taking pictures with the visiting athletes after the fully booked 2,500-seat event at Victoria Park Swimming Pool.
The demonstration was one of three public events held to welcome the mainland athletes during their three-day stay in the city, including a gala show, with all 5,300 tickets selling out at HK$20 (US$2.60) each.
During Saturday’s showcase, the mainland diving team took the opportunity to perform special moves typically not seen at competitive events.
One such manoeuvre saw each member of the team dive from a platform in swift succession and gracefully navigate every landing.
Asked about her experience performing to the crowd, fan favourite diver Quan Hongchan said: “I think it was really fun.”
The athlete also attracted cheers from the audience when she performed her renowned “water splash disappearance” technique up close.
“I thought the entire event was really good. I thought that two hours might have been a really long time, but it went by really quickly,” audience member Elma Lui said.
“Every section came one after another, there were interviews, there were performances. It ended quite quickly actually.”
The 40-year-old clerk’s daughter Mavis said her favourite athletes were Quan and Chen Yuxi because of their ability to enter the water with minimal splash.
“I am really emotional as I got their actual autographs,” the 12-year-old said as she held up two home-made posters and showed an autographed swim cap that she won at the event.
Spectator Ivan Chan said attending the swimming and diving demonstration with his 12-year-old daughter Jaymie was a perfect way to spend time together.
“As a father, I know that she would have less time with her father as she got older, so for us to be able to do something that we love and see our favourite athletes … it is something that I have been looking forward to for several weeks since I got the tickets,” the 48-year-old civil servant said.
Diver Lian Junjie also contributed to the playful atmosphere, drawing laughter from the crowd as he was left out of the lift to the diving platform and rushed up the stairs to catch up.
Fellow athletes Yang Hao and Long Daoyi managed to wow spectators as they dived between teammate Cao Yuan while he performed a headstand at the end of the diving platform.
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China’s Olympic athletes begin three-day visit to Hong Kong
China’s Olympic athletes begin three-day visit to Hong Kong
Not ones to be outperformed, the swimming team invited spectators to take part in a relay event that also involved local athletes and saw audience members swim their leg of the event using a video game that tracked their arm movements.
The mainland swim team included Pan Zhanle, Qin Haiyang, Sun Jiajun and Wang Changhao.
The athletes appeared to be enjoying themselves at the event, with diver Chen Yiwen all smiles throughout the two-hour event.
Meanwhile, synchronised swimming twins Wang Qianyi and Wang Liuyi said they wish a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland had been on their itinerary as they last visited the theme park when they were too young to enjoy all the rides.
The happy atmosphere continued even after the showcase wrapped up as some audience came away with priceless prizes from a game held during the event.
