Chow Tai Fook Presents – The Chinese Badminton Team Charity Show 2009
10 national heroic athletes visited Hong Kong
$2 million were raised for The Chinese Athletes Educational Foundation
Hong Kong. 8th November 2009 - The Chinese National Badminton Team (the “Team”) led by Chief Coach Li Yongbo, and comprising of ten heroic athletes including Lin Dan, Chen Jin and Wang Yihan, appeared in last night’s Chow Tai Fook Presents – The Chinese Badminton Team Charity Show 2009 held at the Wanchai Southorn Stadium; they showcased the unrivaled badminton skills to the Hong Kong public at close distance. The 2,000 tickets were sold out in a few days, and a total fund of $2 million was raised for The Chinese Athletes Educational Foundation.
When Chow Tai Fook Presents – The Chinese Badminton Team Charity Show 2009 started at 7.30pm, the team members walked round the stadium escorted by girl guides in neat uniforms to meet the 2000 hailing fans. This was followed by a light-up ceremony and souvenir presentation to sponsors. The rituals were officiated by Mr Li Yongbo, Deputy Director of the GASC Table Tennis and Badminton Administrative Centre and the Chief Coach of the Chinese Badminton Team; Mr. Li Gang, Deputy Director of Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong S.A.R. ; Ms Florence Hui, JP, Acting Secretary for Home Affairs; Mr. Victor Hui, SBS MBE JP, Honorary President of Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association and Chairman of Executive Committee, Hong Kong Playground Association; Mr Wong Sau Ming, Vice-Chairman of Hong Kong Badminton Association Ltd.and Mr. Li Ning, the founder of The Chinese Athletes Educational Foundation and athlete representatives Lin Dan and Wang Yihan.
The charity show was enthusiastically covered by the mass media. The fans, who occupied every seat of the stadium, kept hailing the heroic athletes for a warm welcome. Before the games duly started, four team members, Cai Yun, Chen Jin, Du Jing and Yu Yang demonstrated the skills of flat drive, block and smash before playing against young athletes of the Hong Kong team. A game against Lin Dan, the key Team member was arranged for the Sing Tao Daily quiz winner.
The most exciting part of the charity show was games between Team members, including women’s single by Wang Yihan vs Lu Lan and women’s doubles by Du Jing/Lu Lan vs Yu Yang/Wang Yihan. Xie Xingfang was arranged to form her first lover team with Lin Dan to play against Bao Chunlai and Yu Yang in an exciting mixed. In the final game, Chen Jin and Lin Dan, both top players at present, impressed the fans with an exciting and entertaining men’s single. They received warm applause from the 2,000 audience.
Popular TV star, Raymond Lam Fung appeared as the guest and he joined Lin Dan to have a quiz with the audience, giving away Lin Dan’s figure dolls as the gifts. TV stars, Steven Ma Chun Wai and Jerry Lamb had a game with the Team members, the audience was entertained with a uniquely interesting game.
