The cards were stacked against Kong, and seeing her overcome them all inspires us to keep at what we do no matter how impossible it seems. That is the Hong Kong fighting spirit on full display – not letting the circumstances out of our control keep our spirits down.
Cheung Ka-long also made history last week, defending his foil gold medal to become the first Olympic fencer in 68 years to come out on top in consecutive Games.His triumph was not without controversy as the Italian National Olympic Committee filed a formal complaint over the refereeing in the final. Cheung and Filippo Macchi, his Italian opponent, had to replay the final point three times. Many of my friends had said their hearts couldn’t handle it.
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‘Pineapple belongs on pizza’: Olympic fencing bout sparks Italy vs Hong Kong Instagram war
‘Pineapple belongs on pizza’: Olympic fencing bout sparks Italy vs Hong Kong Instagram war
Unlike the Italian officials, Macchi congratulated Cheung and showed respect for the rules of the game and the referees’ decisions. Cheung also accepted it could have gone either way, saying, “In a different venue, or with a different referee, things might not be the same, but every fencer thinks the point belonged to them.”
We should applaud both Kong and Cheung’s supreme athleticism and mental tenacity in the face of overwhelming pressure. Their performances have lessons for us in our daily lives, even if they play out in less dramatic circumstances. We must all learn to be persistent and not give up.
This is an important message to understand for our young people, who have to endure pressure at school and high-stakes exams. Knowing there are elements they cannot control and their results do not define them will help them face future challenges. It is how we recover from our struggles that defines us.Did Siobhan Haughey “settle” for her two bronze medals in Paris instead of getting gold? Of course not. She has become Hong Kong’s most decorated Olympian, and we are proud of how far she has come. She has consistently displayed tremendous grace under pressure while remaining down to earth and humble, a winner through and through.Haughey is always so gracious, taking time to thank Hongkongers for their support. She has inspired the people of this city to dream big and work hard to make it happen. She and all our other athletes should inspire us to recover from our losses and move forward.
As for the Hong Kong government, our Olympians’ performances in Paris suggest that the city is on the right track in focusing on developing and nurturing our elite athletes. It must also learn from how the Games has brought the city together as a community, cheering for our athletes.
The government has struggled to get various campaigns off the ground, partly because of a lack of focus on the people. The “Lion Rock spirit” cannot be understood as just a reference to a location. Temple Street is nothing without the people – the food and “night vibes” are important, but so is feeling the heat of the community. Recreating the Kowloon Walled City alone will not draw crowds; the connection with people is necessary to breathe life into these government initiatives.Let us embrace this renewed sense of hope. As we search for what the new Hong Kong spirit is, let our Olympians continue to inspire us to keep fighting, adapt our strategies and maintain our focus as we look back on our successes and take the upcoming challenges in stride.
Alice Wu is a political consultant and a former associate director of the Asia Pacific Media Network at UCLA
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