Among those making the trip to France will be mixed-doubles pair Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet, who managed a historic fourth-place finish in Tokyo, losing to Japanese arch-rivals Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino 21-17, 23-21 in the bronze-medal match.
“I don’t have to worry any more after securing qualification, and it proved our hard work over the last year wasn’t wasted,” said Tang, who will be attending his second Games.
Lee Cheuk-yiu will be part of the six strong badminton squad that Hong Kong sends to Paris. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
Tse, who will become the first Hongkonger to take part in four Olympics in badminton, said the opportunity to walk away with a hefty cash bonus would give players even more motivation on the court.
The remaining four members of the squad, Lee Cheuk-yiu in the men’s singles, Happy Lo Sin-yan in the women’s singles, and women’s doubles pair Yeung Nga-ting and Yeung Pui-lam will compete at a Games for the first time.
Yeung Nga-ting said the bonuses would serve as “recognition and honour” for the athletes.
“Qualifying for the Olympic Games are dream come true moment for any athlete,” she said. “I am so proud I am donning the city’s flag at the women’s doubles event at the Games.”
There will also be a reward for athletes winning individual silver or bronze – HK$833,333 and HK$625,000 respectively – while a fourth-place finish would be worth HK$200,000.
A silver in doubles comes with a HK$1.25 million cheque, with HK$937,500 for the silver or bronze medal. A repeat of their Tokyo Games result in Paris this summer would earn Tang and Tse HK$300,000.
Tong Wai-lun, the Hong Kong Badminton Association’s chairman, said he hoped the prize fund would encourage athletes to chase medals, while also serving as recognition of their achievement should they do so.
Aside from the Olympics, there will also be bonuses medal-winning performances at the Asian Games, World Championships, Asian Championships and National Games.
A singles gold medal at the next World Championships in Paris would be worth HK$833,333, while a doubles title could earn the pair HK$1.25 million.
Triumphing at the next Asian Games in Nagayo would come with a cheque for HK$625,000 or HK$937,500.
2024-05-14 00:00:21
#Paris #Olympics #prize #money #table #Hong #Kong #badminton #squad #officials #put #HK6 #million #incentives
