Hong Kong Netballers Battle for World Cup Spot at Asian Championships
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong's netball team is competing at the Asian Championships held at Kai Tak Arena this week, with realistic ambitions of reaching next year's World Cup finals in Australia. Connie Wong Ar-yan, president of Netball Hong Kong, China, has been spearheading the sport's growth since returning from Australia in 2009, transforming participation numbers and building a structured development pathway . The squad, ranked 34th globally and led by Zenia Wong, 23, and Gessy Li Ga-wing, 29, is aiming to boost netball's low public profile in the city .
Key Points
- The Asian Championships at Kai Tak Arena are pitting Hong Kong's women against some of the region's best netball nations
- Connie Wong Ar-yan, 49, transformed Hong Kong netball from fewer than 1,000 players in 2009 to nearly 2,000 today
- The Junior Netball League grew from 12 teams at inception to over 100 teams under her leadership
- Hong Kong finished outside the top three in every championships since their 1993 title triumph
- The side last competed at a World Cup 23 years ago, when qualification was not required
Why It Matters
Success at the Asian Championships could significantly elevate netball's standing in Hong Kong, where it currently trails behind even baseball and lawn bowls in public awareness . Wong believes reaching the World Cup finals would create a "netball brand" and demonstrate that results at the elite level are essential to attracting new participants to the sport .
Success at the Asian Championships could significantly elevate netball's standing in Hong Kong, where it currently trails behind even baseball and lawn bowls in public awareness . Wong believes reaching the World Cup finals would create a "netball brand" and demonstrate that results at the elite level are essential to attracting new participants to the sport .