A party of China’s top Olympians will continue their visit to Macao today, taking in the city’s sights and sharing their sporting exploits with local youngsters and athletes.
The 68-strong Team China delegation includes 29 athletes from 11 sporting events such as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics’ gold medallist on the rings Liu Yang, gold medallist in women’s trampoline Zhu Xueying, the first Chinese sprinter to reach an Olympic 100-metre final Su Bingtian, table tennis Grand Slam winner Ma Long, and the nation’s first Olympic gold medallist in women’s individual epee fencing Sun Yiwen.
The delegation, headed by General Administration of Sport of China Deputy Director Yang Ning, arrived here yesterday afternoon from Zhuhai via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge checkpoint, and are due to return home tomorrow.
After taking part in this morning’s flag-raising ceremony to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), the delegation will visit some of the city’s UNESCO-listed World Heritage sites.
They will also share their achievements’ experiences and stories with local youngsters and athletes. This evening the delegation will attend a variety show at the Macao East Asian Games Dome.
The government hosted a banquet last night at the Grand Hyatt in the City of Dreams resort to welcome the delegation. There were about 150 participants.
Deputy Commissioner of the Foreign Ministry Commissioner’s Office Wang Dong, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U and other government officials and association representatives attended the banquet.
Ao Ieong said that the visit allows residents to learn from the delegation about perseverance and hard work. Yang said that the delegation was able to visit Macao despite Covid-19 restrictions so that its members can thank local residents for their support.
The delegation spent two weeks’ quarantine after visiting Hong Kong and prior to their arrival in Macao.
Before the banquet, several entities made cash donations to the delegation, namely the Henry Fok Foundation (HK$5 million); Sports Fund (HK$4 million); Macau Chinese Enterprises Association (HK$2 million), Ma Man Kei family members (HK$2 million); and Bank of China Macao Branch (HK$1 million), The Macau Post Daily reported.
