The six-day “LI-NING Hong Kong Open Badminton Championships 2025 part of the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 500” is being held at the Hong Kong Coliseum. The Badminton Association of Hong Kong, China and The Hong Kong Jockey Club, its official community partner, jointly present the ‘Jockey Club Hong Kong Open Badminton Championships Community Programmes’ to help promote the sport. On Saturday (Sep 13), the ‘Badminton With You’ International Star Masterclass invited top class players including Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi of China, men’s doubles silver medallists at the 2025 World Championships, Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun of Malaysia, Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand, and home women doubles pair Lui Lok Lok and Tsang Hiu Yan to exchange with local young players and the public at Po Kong Village Road Sports Centre. And the Chen/Liu pair paid tribute to the high standard of local young players.
The International Masterclass was delighted to have many star players to join the event as visiting coaches. These players include Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi of China, silver medal winners in the men’s doubles at the recent World Championships in Paris, Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun of Malaysia, men’s doubles champions of the Indonesia and Malaysia Masters, Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand, silver medallist of the India Open and women’s doubles world number 24 Lui Lok Lok and Tsang Hiu Yan of Hong Kong, China.
Participants of the programme included members of the focus youth team of Hong Kong, China, district youth team players and other members from the general public. As role models, the star players encouraged the participants to keep working hard on their road to success and never give up easily, especially when they have found their targets in the sport.
The two men’s doubles teams then demonstrated for the participants with a seven-minute game. Although it was only a demonstration, the players tried very hard with strong smashes and net shot rallies, making all the participants very excited.
After the demonstration, the youngsters were asked to play against the star players. Chan Yik Kiu, who had a game with Man Wei Chong of Malaysia, was so nervous but excited. He said,
“This is a rare opportunity of playing against a Malaysia national player and I am so happy to get the chance. After the match, I found they are all very powerful and skillful. Even if the shuttlecock is very close to the net, they can still handle it well.” At 12, Chan hoped he can have the chance of training at the Sports Institute and become a member of the Hong Kong, China team in future.
Some of the young players were given the opportunity of having individual coaching by the badminton stars. 11-year-old Ethan Lee received training from Chen Bo Yang, who said “Ethan played so well that I could not offer him any more advices!” Ethan was also delighted with his own performance and the chance of playing with a world class player. “It’s good be praised by a top player which means my hard training works and progress has been made. When I played against him, I could find he has great power in his wrist and his shots are very accurate,” Ethan said. Now a member of the district youth team, Ethan hoped he can improve his standard and be promoted to the focus youth team before setting foot for a career in badminton.
The two men’s doubles players, Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi said they had taken part in these exchanges many times before and every time there was a large number of youngsters who are badminton lover and join the programme. “We are happy to see many youngsters join these exchanges and the atmosphere is always very good. Even though not all of them can have the opportunity of playing against us on the court, they still enjoy.”
They said some of the players at 11 or 12 years old could play even better than them when they were at the same age. Chen said these young players had already showed a very good standard. “One of these young players’ mother seems not to be satisfied with his kid’s performance but I can tell you her son is already very good with his basic skills in badminton. Even if some of them do not show very good skills, they still have a strong attitude which is very important.”
Lui Lok Lok and Tsang Hiu Yan, who took part in these exchange programmes when they were youth team members, were popular among the participants. Lui said the standard of these young players was getting better. “More and more youngsters join badminton in Hong Kong and their standard is also getting higher and higher as I was sweating when playing against them. When I was at their age, I could not play better than them. I hope more young players can take up the baton and become members of the national team one day.”
The two men’s doubles players, Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi said they had taken part in these exchanges many times before and every time there was a large number of youngsters who are badminton lover and join the programme. “We are happy to see many youngsters join these exchanges and the atmosphere is always very good. Even though not all of them can have the opportunity of playing against us on the court, they still enjoy.”
They said some of the players at 11 or 12 years old could play even better than them when they were at the same age. Chen said these young players had already showed a very good standard. “One of these young players’ mother seems not to be satisfied with his kid’s performance but I can tell you her son is already very good with his basic skills in badminton. Even if some of them do not show very good skills, they still have a strong attitude which is very important.”
Lui said many young players could receive a strong motivation when joining these exchanges, pushing them to work harder during training so that they might become a star player in future and demonstrate for the next generation. She hoped badminton can continue to get popular in Hong Kong and urged the young players “work hard to improve their standard so that they can one day join us to train at the Sports Institute and make improvement together”.
Before the activity completed, the star players gave autographs to the participants and selfie with them. They then left for the Hong Kong Coliseum Piazza where they joined the ‘Jockey Club Hong Kong Open Badminton Championships Community Programmes’ badminton carnival and took part in the booth games.
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