An international paddleball tournament kicked off in Sai Sha on Saturday, offering free public access and drawing 146 elite players from over 25 countries and regions.

The FIP Bronze Go Park Hong Kong tournament, organized by Go Park Sports in collaboration with the International Paddleball Federation (FIP), attracted nearly 20 percent of its players from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chinese mainland, with over 40 percent of them successfully qualifying for the finals, according to the organizers.

The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, noted that the city has witnessed the sport of paddleball grow at a remarkable pace in recent years. She emphasized that paddleball has been officially confirmed as a medal sport at the upcoming 20th Asian Games, set to take place in Nagoya, Japan, in September.

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“We look forward to seeing more youth teams, social clubs, and professional leagues join this vibrant, growing paddleball community,” she added.

Law expressed her gratitude to Sun Hung Kai Properties, which presented the event, adding that their strong commitment and sustained efforts are vital in ensuring the sport continues to thrive and inspire the next generation of players.

Sun Hung Kai Properties Executive Director Adam Kai-fai Kwok said: “Many local players expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to participate in a competition with international ranking and standards in Hong Kong, which they believe will greatly benefit their professional development and skill improvement.”

This October, Hong Kong will also host the FIP paddleball gold tournament.