The Hong Kong men’s rugby team secured its first gold medal in the 15th National Games by defeating its old rival from Shandong by a score of 26-19 in men’s rugby sevens, also triumphing in all its matches throughout this year’s event.

This brought the city’s medal tally to four golds and one bronze so far.

The Hong Kong team — two-time Asian Games champions — took an early lead with five points and maintained a 12-7 advantage at halftime. Despite Shandong narrowing the margin to 14-12 in the second half, the Hong Kong squad held on for the victory.

Before the final, the Hong Kong team was already seen as the top contender for the gold in this competition. It secured victories in all matches from the start of the National Games until the final, defeating teams from Shandong, Tianjin, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region to reach the championship match.

This also marked a comeback to the National Games for the Hong Kong men’s rugby sevens team after a 12-year hiatus. In the 2013 National Games, held in Liaoning province, it also competed against the Shandong team, narrowly falling short of the gold and securing a silver medal instead.