Hong Kong sets sights on bay area bid for Olympics after National Games success
Joint bid with Guangdong and Macau will be a ‘super-strong alliance’, sports chief Rosanna Law says after ex-IOC chief backs region as host
Sports officials have hailed Hong Kong’s success in co-hosting the National Games and said the city will explore running more athletic events with its Greater Bay Area neighbours after the region was named as a possible candidate for staging the Olympics in the future.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui described the concluded 15th National Games in Hong Kong as a success on Saturday, emphasising the events had exposed locals to lesser-known sports, such as beach volleyball, handball and triathlon, sparking their interest.
Asked about the potential for the bay area to host the Olympics, Law said Hong Kong still had work to do, despite having showcased its ability to stage major sports competitions, including the equestrian event for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
“We are a little way from hosting the Olympics. But a joint bid by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau will be a ‘super-strong alliance’. This is different from Hong Kong’s solo bid for the Asian Games in the past,” she said.
“Because of that, this is no longer a Hong Kong matter, but a national initiative.”
The minister added that the government would push for more national-level sports events in Hong Kong to demonstrate the city’s capabilities and readiness to host major international competitions.