Hong Kong’s recent streak of sporting successes at national level appears to show no sign of letting up, certainly judging by a Asian Netball Championships campaign that is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory.
Led by co-captains Connie Wong and Kate Jolly, the ladies put themselves firmly in the running for the Cup by dispatching Thailand 65-38 on Day 2, followed by a 73-15 rout of the Philippines.
Although losing out to Malaysia, the mood in the Hong Kong camp remains buoyant as ever- as it tends to be after besting perennial rivals Singapore by a solitary point on their own territory last night.
“We’re feeling confident as we have a strong group of players, allowing us to put on different combinations to deal with different playing styles,” remarked Wong.
“Having gotten crucial results in the pool games, we have to fight off the three other Asian powerhouses (Singapore, Sri Lanka and Malaysia) for top spots.”
Although her predecessors have never come close to replicating their 1993 victory, Kate Jolly believes there are reasons to suggest that the class of 2018 has what it takes to go all the way.
“We’re here to win and we’ve worked hard to develop our game and build consistency regardless of which team we’re playing.” said Jolly.
She also recognised the importance of hosting the Four Nations Tournament earlier this year, which saw Hong Kong top the group stages and defeat the likes of Ireland, Grenada and Singapore.
“The Four Nations have definitely helped in our preparations- being exposed to other national teams have also helped to improve the physical and mental aspects of our game,” said Jolly.
In addition to establishing their regional dominance, the result against Singapore means that Hong Kong are strong favourites to secure qualification for the 2019 World Cup in Liverpool- the holy grail that awaits both eventual Cup finalists.
Hong Kong are set to play Sri Lanka at 5pm today (HKT). Keep up-to-date with their results HERE!