Hong Kong’s torch relay for the 15th National Games kicked off on Sunday, with residents turning out in droves to cheer as the relay hit the city streets.
One week before opening, the Games celebrated a milestone on Sunday as its first cross-boundary torch relay was held simultaneously in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.
Following the launch ceremony in the southern coastal city of Shenzhen, the torch relay started in Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou and Shenzhen – four key cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The rally route in the HKSAR has showcased its landmarks — starting from the government headquarters in Tamar and ending at Kai Tak Sports Park. The relay traverses both sides of Victoria Harbour, passing renowned landmarks such as Tamar Park, the waterfront at Central and Wan Chai, Golden Bauhinia Square, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, and the Hong Kong Space Museum.
IN PICTURES: The flame of spirit
The relay route spans about 10 kilometers, taking about two hours to complete, with ferries and open-top buses operating along parts of the route.
It includes a “water transport” segment conducted on a ferry crossing Victoria Harbour. The torch in this section is carried by Stephen Chau, general manager of Star Ferry Company, and Li Ching, head coach of Hong Kong’s table tennis team.
Hong Kong Acting Chief Executive Eric Chan Kwok-Ki said at the relay launch ceremony that the historic moment fully showcases the distinctive advantages of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, telling the world Hong Kong’s charm as an international metropolis.
He urged residents to watch the Games and cheer Hong Kong’s athletes.
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The torch relay, in total, comprises 200 torchbearers, with each city providing 50 torchbearers covering a distance of 50 to 100 meters each.
Fifty torchbearers in Hong Kong are drawn from various sectors, including active and retired athletes, entrepreneurs, scientists, youth representatives, and representatives from ethnic minority groups.
Table tennis player Wong Chun-ting, the highest-ranked male player in the history of Hong Kong's table tennis team, is the first torchbearer of the Hong Kong relay, and the last torchbearer is fencer Kaylin Hsieh Sin-yan, who secured gold in women's epee at the 2025 World University Games.
At Hong Kong’s Golden Bauhinia Square, residents have waited in advance to witness the memorable moment and cheer the torchbearers.
A resident surnamed Yeung, who lives in the Central and Western District, said she rose at 7 am to witness the historic occasion and cheer the torchbearers with her five-year-old grandson who is a member of a football team.
“Hong Kong is paying great attention to the National Games and we’re excited to be here,” she said.
Yeung said being so close to witnessing the torch relay for the first time has boosted her and her grandson’s sense of national identity.
Following the relay, representatives from the four cities will return the flame to Guangzhou. Also on Sunday, a ceremony will be held at the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center at 5 pm, where the flame will be used during the opening of the Games on Nov 9 for relays and to ignite the main cauldron.
Advanced technologies such as smart robots, autonomous vehicles and drones are being used throughout the torch relay.
China's 15th National Games will be jointly hosted by Guangdong, the Hong Kong and Macao SARs from Nov 9 to 21. The 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games will be held from Dec 8 to 15.
