Olympic Stars Coming to Hong Kong

Hong Kong fans are going to be excited to see Fu Yuanhui this weekend

The euphoria of the Summer Games in Rio have begun to evaporate, but it will extend in Hong Kong this weekend when the Chinese gold medallists come here to show off why they're in the best in the world.

Sixty-four Olympians will come, including the 12 "golden girls" of the women's volleyball team who won gold for the first time since 2004, along with their coach Lang Ping.

Diver Wu Minxia will show off her diving skills

Others include diver Wu Minxia, swimming Sun Yang and badminton player Chen Long.

Even though badminton bad boy Lin Dan was unsuccessful in defending his title, he will also be in Hong Kong, as well as bronze medallist Fu Yuanhui, who became an internet darling for her post race interview when she found out from a reporter she came in third, and being open and honest about her menstrual cramps.

Hong Kong Olympic officials had been requesting Fu to come, but the previous policy from the Chinese side was only to have gold medallists come here.

But Fu's attendance was confirmed by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying today, which will surely thrill those who managed to snag the 5,700 tickets that went on sale on Monday morning and were gone by 1pm.

Superstar Lin Dan will demonstrate his badminton prowess

Already some of the tickets are being scalped for as much as 1,000 yuan each, when they were bought for only HK$20, each person able to buy a maximum of two tickets.

The athletes' visit starts here on Saturday, when they will hold table tennis and diving demonstrations at Queen Elizabeth Stadium and Victoria Park, and participate in a variety show in Sunday.

They will also have a meet-and-greet session with young people in Ma On Shan, and visit the Hong Kong Sports Institute to meet local athletes.

Attention will definitely be on Fu and wonder what she'll inadvertently gab about next!

Olympic Pride of Crisis Management?

 Wu Minxia may show off her gold medal and diving skills in Hong Kong

After every Olympics, the Chinese gold medallists get to visit Hong Kong to boost the national pride, but this time they will come a week before the upcoming Legislative Council elections.

There are concerns the athletes competing in Rio could face backlash due to rising "pro-independence sentiment".

Swimmer Sun Yang will probably come too

Typically the gold medallists give sports demonstrations and meet fans during their three-day stay. Athletes that will likely come are Zhang Mengxue, winner of the women's 10-metre air pistol event; (controversial) swimming star Sun Yang, and Wu Minxia, the five-time diving gold medallist.

Hong Kong chef de mission Kenneth Fok Kai-kong said he would try to invite bronze medallist and social media sensation Fu Yuanhui to come, after the swimmer's post race interviews made her endearing all over the world. She expressed complete delight at finding out from a reporter that she had won bronze, and made funny faces on the podium.

However, Fok says it is up to the Chinese national team who will come to Hong Kong August 26-28.

While he is not worried about backlash during the athletes' visit, Fok was concerned about the event being politicized and that it's about the medallists and sports.

There are hopes to get bronze medallist Fu Yuanhui to come

However, political analyst Dr Chung Kim-wah of Polytechnic University warned the upcoming visit could backfire in the wake of the rise of pro-independence sentiment in Hong Kong.

"The visit, like those in the past, is supposed to promote social harmony and drum up social support for Beijing and the Hong Kong government. But the government should be prepared for some embarrassing moments when the medallists are confronted with anti-China protests," Chung said.

This Friday night could be the start with localists planning to broadcast a badminton match between Hong Kong and China on the street.

Don't say you weren't warned...