Hong Kong Wrestlers Make Historic Asian Games Debut in Nagoya
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong's wrestling programme achieved a historic milestone on Sunday as the territory prepares to send its first-ever freestyle wrestlers to the Asian Games. Two young athletes — 18-year-old Wong Chong-seng and 19-year-old Li Hui-feng — will represent Hong Kong at the Nagoya Asian Games, competing in the 57kg and 97kg divisions respectively. The duo earned their spots through strong performances at the 2026 U23 Asian Championships, where both finished seventh. Their coach, Iranian-Dutch former Olympic competitor Masoud Niaz, has been instrumental in developing Hong Kong's wrestling scene over the past four years. The competition runs from September 30 to October 3 at the Inaba Sports Center in Nagoya.
Key Points
- Hong Kong will debut in freestyle wrestling at the Asian Games, with Wong Chong-seng (18) in 57kg and Li Hui-feng (19) in 97kg
- Both athletes qualified by finishing seventh at the 2026 U23 Asian Championships; Wong also ranked 23rd at the 2026 U20 World Championships
- They train approximately 2 to 3 hours daily while balancing university studies
- The tournament runs from September 30 to October 3 at the Inaba Sports Center in Nagoya
- Head coach Masoud Niaz, a former Olympic competitor, leveraged international connections to host a training camp with 250 athletes from 10 countries
Why It Matters
This debut marks a pivotal moment for Hong Kong's sports development, demonstrating that even newer disciplines can achieve international recognition with proper coaching and dedication . The success of these young athletes could inspire broader investment in Hong Kong's athletic programmes and encourage more youth to pursue competitive sports beyond traditional disciplines.
This debut marks a pivotal moment for Hong Kong's sports development, demonstrating that even newer disciplines can achieve international recognition with proper coaching and dedication . The success of these young athletes could inspire broader investment in Hong Kong's athletic programmes and encourage more youth to pursue competitive sports beyond traditional disciplines.