Asia Sports Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 40 Week of 10 November 2025
(1) Grand opening of 15th National Games celebrates unity and sporting excellence
The 15th National Games opens in Guangzhou with Xi Jinping; GBA unity theme blends tradition/tech. Hong Kong flag-bearer Chiu Hin-chun; stars Joey Yung, Andy Lau perform in Lau-directed ceremony.
(2) HK markswoman Rachel Shing hits historic silver in 10m air pistol at ISSF World Championship
Hong Kong’s Rachel Shing Ho-ching wins historic silver (241.2) in women’s 10m air pistol at ISSF Worlds Cairo 2025, behind China’s Yao Qianxun (243.0). Debut final boosts Olympic hopes.
(3) HK men’s rugby sevens team secures semifinal spot at National Games with dominant wins
HK men’s rugby sevens reach National Games semis with 24-12 over Shandong, 50-0 vs Tianjin at Kai Tak, targeting gold. Women’s team needs Shanghai win after losses.
(4) Siobhan Haughey wins gold in 200m freestyle swimming
Siobhan Haughey won gold in the 200m freestyle swimming finals for Hong Kong, receiving HK$750,000 under the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme. Hong Kong team has won 3 gold medals in the National Games, breaking the two-decade-long record.
(1) Grand opening of 15th National Games celebrates unity and sporting excellence
(Photo Credit: The Standard)
The 15th National Games opened spectacularly in Guangzhou on November 9, 2025, with President Xi Jinping in attendance at the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center. The 75-minute ceremony, themed “Realizing Dreams for the Future,” drew 80,000 spectators in an audiovisual extravaganza celebrating Greater Bay Area unity. Directed by Andrew Lau Wai-keung (Infernal Affairs), it featured three chapters blending Lingnan traditions like lion dances and dragon boats with AI/VR tech. Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macau delegations paraded jointly, with rower Chiu Hin-chun bearing the HKSAR flag.
Performances showcased regional talent: Cantonese opera star Elizabeth Wang Ming-chun with mainland/Macau artists, Hong Kong singers Joey Yung and Mike Tsang Pei-tak, and Andy Lau closing with “Zhong Guo Ren.” Pre-ceremony, Xi met IOC President Kirsty Coventry and honorary president Thomas Bach, praising Olympic spirit’s alignment with China’s shared future vision and noting reunions from Harbin’s Asian Winter Games. Xi highlighted the Games as China’s premier multi-sport event, envisioning the GBA as a high-quality development pacesetter.
This co-hosted Games—first for Hong Kong/Macau—symbolizes deepened GBA integration under Xi’s modernization drive, leveraging cultural fusion and tech to project national unity amid geopolitical tensions. Celebrity involvement and high-profile diplomacy amplify soft power, boosting tourism and youth sports engagement, though grand scale risks overshadowing grassroots participation. As the event unfolds across Guangdong/Hong Kong/Macau until November 21, it sets a benchmark for inclusive, innovative national spectacles.
News Source: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/hong-kong-news/article/316329/
(2) HK markswoman Rachel Shing hits historic silver in 10m air pistol at ISSF World Championship
(Photo Credit: Xinhua)
Hong Kong markswoman Rachel Shing Ho-ching, 31, etched her name in history on November 10, 2025, by clinching the city’s first-ever medal—a silver—in the women’s 10m air pistol final at the ISSF World Championship in Cairo, Egypt. Qualifying seventh among over 100 competitors, Shing delivered a clutch performance under pressure, scoring 241.2 points, just 1.8 behind gold medalist Yao Qianxun (243.0) of China, with Wei Qian (221.4) of China taking bronze. The quadrennial event, running November 6–18, features elite shooters from 43 countries.
Shing, a Paris 2024 Olympian, called the medal “beyond expectations” for her debut World Championship final: “It’s my first time making it to a World Championship final.” She credited intense National Games preparation for building resilience, noting the Cairo atmosphere felt competitive yet less overwhelming. Shing expressed gratitude to the Hong Kong government, the Hong Kong, China Shooting Association, teammates, and coaches for unwavering support, adding the win boosts her confidence for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Shing’s breakthrough elevates Hong Kong shooting from niche to national pride, inspiring youth amid the sport’s precision demands and gender barriers. As the first medal in ISSF Worlds history, it signals growing investment payoff post-Paris Olympics, positioning Shing as a trailblazer. Amid China’s dominance (gold/bronze), her near-miss underscores regional rivalry, fueling Greater Bay Area unity while highlighting mental fortitude as key to Olympic aspirations.
News Source: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/sports-news/article/316472/
(3) HK men’s rugby sevens team secures semifinal spot at National Games with dominant wins
(Photo Credit: The Standard)
Hong Kong’s men’s rugby sevens team has secured an early semifinal berth at the National Games after dominating their opening group matches with a 24-12 victory over defending champions Shandong and a 50-0 shutout against Tianjin.
Playing under the closed roof of Kai Tak Sports Park, the Asian Games gold medallists displayed superior physical conditioning that players attributed to intensified summer training. Veteran player Cado Lee noted the team’s stamina remained strong throughout both matches, with players “fully wound up” and eager to attack. Wing Fong Kit-fung, scoring in both matches during his first National Games appearance, confirmed the team’s singular focus: “Our target is only the gold medal – we haven’t thought about other medal colours.”
The Hong Kong squad, returning to the National Games after missing two editions, last won silver in 2013. Player Max Denmark acknowledged the home crowd support despite smaller attendance. The women’s team faced challenges, losing to Shandong 12-31 and Sichuan 12-19, requiring a victory against Shanghai to keep semifinal hopes alive.
News Source: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/sports-news/article/316635/HK-mens-rugby-sevens-team-secures-semifinal-spot-at-National-Games-with-dominant-wins
(4) Siobhan Haughey wins gold in 200m freestyle swimming
(Photo Credit: The Standard)
Siobhan Haughey, in the 200m freestyle swimming finals, won gold with a time of 1:54.85 in Shenzhen on Thursday night. Haughey, who started in the fifth lane against eight rivals at 7.13pm today, started off great with a lead from the beginning and finished with a time of 1:54.85 and obtained her first gold medal in the National Games, which is also Hong Kong’s first gold medal in swimming in the games.
With her newest addition to the gold medal haul, this brings the local representatives’ total gold medal tally to three, which breaks an over two-decade-long record. The Hong Kong team obtained two gold medals in the 2001, 2009, 2017, and 2021 editions of the games.
Under the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, Haughey will receive HK$750,000 for her achievement. She will return to the pool on Friday for the women’s 100-meter freestyle heats.
News Source: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/sports-news/article/316744/
