HKU Student-Athlete Coleman Wong Wins Hong Kong's First Asian Games Tennis Gold

Coleman Wong Chak-lam has won the men's singles at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, beating Wu Yibing of the Chinese mainland 6-2, 6-4 to claim Teama Hong Kong, China's first tennis gold in the history of the Games — and, with it, a provisional quota place for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

The gold is Hong Kong's first in Asian Games tennis. Team Hong Kong, China's Eudice Chong and Cody Wong had won women's doubles bronze at the Games the day before. Wong, the top seed and the world No. 100, fired 16 aces, breaking Wu's serve twice in the opening set and closing out the match with back-to-back aces.

"I was thrilled to hear that Coleman has won gold in the men's singles at the Asian Games — a first for Hong Kong tennis, and a moment of real pride for everyone at HKU," said Professor Xiang Zhang, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU.

"Coleman's achievement speaks to what this University stands for — academic excellence, certainly, but also whole-person education, and the character, resilience and sportsmanship that sport builds," Professor Zhang said. "It is a wonderful result for Hong Kong and for the nation, and a fine example of what HKU students give back to the city and the nation we were founded to serve."

Wong, 22, is a University of Hong Kong student admitted under HKU's "Top Athletes Direct Admission Scheme" and a holder of the HKU Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship. He is reading for a Bachelor of Business Administration, and is the highest-ranked men's player Hong Kong has produced.

The medal illustrates what HKU's dual-track model for elite athletes is meant to deliver: a student competing at the top of a global sport without leaving the classroom behind. The Top Athletes Direct Admission Scheme, launched in 2022/23, admits athletes primarily on sporting achievement and supports them with academic advice, flexible learning arrangements, counselling and physical training. Its accompanying scholarship, established in 2022 with Lee Shau Kee Foundation support, has now reached 30 student-athletes.

The Olympic place is conditional: under LA28 rules it depends on Wong staying inside the ATP top 500 on 12 June 2028, the relevant Olympic committee quota not already being filled through direct acceptance, and his continuing eligibility and selection.

Beyond the historic tennis achievement, other HKU athletes also delivered impressive performances at the Asian Games. Ryan Choi earned two silver medals in Men’s Foil (individual and team). In the triathlon mixed relay, HKU alumnus Oscar Coggins alongside student-athletes Bailee Brown and Robin Elg brought home bronze. Meanwhile, Emily Grace Polson (admitted via the Top Athletes Direct Admission Scheme) secured a silver in the women’s 49erFX skiff with Tiffany Mak. In athletics, Chow Chi Kiu and Jane Christa Karlsson helped break the Hong Kong 4x400m relay record by over 3 seconds, placing 9th overall, while Lau Kin Hei James represented Hong Kong in swimming.

Mrs Cherry Tse Ling Kit-ching, Executive Vice-President (EVP) (Administration and Finance), commended the athletes: "Our sports scholars epitomize the very qualities that HKU wishes to inculcate in our students – dedication, discipline, good time management, resilience, teamwork, capacity for multi-tasking and repaying the community’s support with an unwavering pursuit for excellence."

All photos courtesy of SFOC.