Coach Kwok Hart Wing was the proudest father at the mixed individual boccia BC2 finals, where his daughter Kwok Hoi Ying won the first gold for the Hong Kong Mission at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.
The 22-year-old fell three points behind Murray Nigel of Britain in the first set, and struggled to find her rhythm in the next three sets. But she fought back hard, ending with a final score of five, two points more than her male opponent.
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Kwok Hart Wing encourages his daughter during the break in the gold medal mixed individual boccia (BC2) match in which Kwok Hoi Ying defeated Nigel Murray of Britain. [Xinhua]
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"I was slightly nervous at the beginning, but I managed to calm down and gradually got it under my control," the champion said after the match at the Fencing Hall of the National Convention Center.
The Hong Kong resident started playing boccia eight years ago, after her father, who is also her coach, discovered her talents.
"I train her as strictly as I do with other athletes, because there is no place for 'father' in competitions," said Kwok Hart Wing.
The athlete explained she loves the game because it helps improve her physical strength and her ability to keep calm under pressure. But what she likes most about the sport is the number of friends she has made and continues to make. The part-time athlete trains two hours a week. Weekends are also used for intensive training if there is an upcoming competition.
"Since she first participated in the Athens Paralympics, Kwok has been working very hard to improve herself. This gold medal is such a big achievement in her life," said Ng Chak-lin, chef de mission of the Hong Kong team.
Four boccia gold medals were awarded at the FCH yesterday.
The first one in mixed individual boccia BC1 went to Portugal, after two Portuguese athletes squared off in the finals. Fernandes Joao Paulo, the 2004 Athens Paralympic gold medalist, took the title after defeating his teammate Marques Antonio.
After the award ceremony, both were thrown in the air by their delighted attachs to celebrate the victory.
"The medial is very important to me," Fernandes repeated slowly through an interpreter.
According to his coach Luis Ferreira, he trained five hours every day over the past year to prepare for the Beijing Paralympics, .
South Korean athlete Park Keon-Woo won mixed individual boccia BC3 gold, while Brazilian Pinto Dirceu was crowned with the mixed individual boccia BC4 gold.