Hong Kong’s boccia team delivered a stellar performance at the ongoing Beijing 2025 World Boccia Cup, clinching five medals — including two gold — across individual events.

Star players John Loung and Yeung Hiu-lam led the charge with gold-winning triumphs, reinforcing Hong Kong’s growing dominance in the sport.

Boccia, a precision ball sport for athletes with severe physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, has been a Paralympic event since 1984. Competitors aim to throw or roll colored balls as close as possible to a white target ball, known as the jack. The player, pair, or team placing the most balls near the jack wins the match.

The sport comprises four classifications — BC1, BC2, BC3, and BC4 — each representing different levels of mobility impairment among athletes. Each category features seven to 11 entrants in the Beijing games.

Loung, the reigning Paralympic champion, maintained his exceptional form in the men’s BC1 individual event. After a decisive 5-2 semifinal win over his Brazilian opponent, he faced fellow Hong Kong player Chan Kam-chau in an all-Hong Kong final, where he secured a 7-0 victory. Chan took home the silver, and Japan’s Takumi Nakamura took the bronze.

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In the women’s BC2 individual event, Yeung Hiu-lam remained undefeated throughout the group stage and knockout. In the final, she overpowered South Korea’s Choi Ah-young 6-0 to claim another gold for Hong Kong. Japanese player Fumiko Ebisawa claimed the bronze.

Cheung Yuen delivered a fierce performance in the women’s BC4 event, beating the national team’s Lin Ximei 8-2 in the semifinals before narrowly falling to German opponent Anita Raguwaran in the final, earning silver. National team’s Qi Cuifang won the bronze.

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In the men’s BC4 individual event, veteran Leung Yuk-wing lost to the national team’s Zheng Yuansen in the semifinal, while he defeated a Ukrainian player 6-3 in the bronze medal match, securing third place. Zheng ultimately took the gold, and Brazil’s Eliseu Dos Santos earned silver.

Hong Kong’s BC4 pairs and BC1/2 team will both face semifinal matches against Japanese rivals on Saturday morning.

In a social media post, the Sports Association for the Physically Disabled of Hong Kong, China, congratulated the team and urged continued public support for the city’s boccia athletes.

The Beijing 2025 World Boccia Cup, which began on June 7 and runs through Sunday, has attracted 74 top athletes from 15 countries and regions.

Hong Kong’s boccia team has emerged as a dominant force in recent international competitions. At the 2025 World Boccia Asia-Oceania Regional Championships, held from May 19-28 in Pattaya, Thailand, Loung, Yeung, and Leung clinched gold medals in their respective individual events. Additionally, Cheung Yuen and Leung Yuk-wing won gold in mixed BC4 pairs.

The team’s success builds on a strong legacy, including the three gold and two silver medals it won at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

With its strong 2025 performances, the Hong Kong squad is well-positioned to secure qualification to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics.

Contact the writer at lilei@chinadailyhk.com