Cover Six-time Paralympian Leung Yuk-wing won a silver medal in the mixed pairs BC4 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympics (Photo: Issac Lam)
Six-time Paralympian Leung Yuk-wing won a silver medal in the mixed pairs BC4 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympics (Photo: Issac Lam)
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Six-time Paralympian Leung Yuk-wing believes his sport helped him become the mentor he is today, and wants to use his experiences to encourage others to follow their dreams
This year marked Hong Kong boccia athlete Leung Yuk-wing’s sixth Paralympic Games. He clinched two gold medals on his debut in 2004 in Athens, then followed this up with a silver in Beijing, another gold in Rio, and a silver and bronze in Tokyo. While the seasoned player felt the weight of expectations for a triumphant performance in Paris, he and his partner Annie Cheung relished the challenge and secured a silver medal in the mixed pairs BC4 event.
Leung was born with arthrogryposis, a condition characterised by congenital joint stiffness. He faces challenges with daily tasks, such as reaching for objects that are high up and putting on clothes. “As a kid, I hesitated to step outside. I couldn’t shake the worry that other children would notice how different my arms and legs looked compared to theirs,” he recalls. The boccia BC4 classification is for those with locomotive dysfunction affecting all four limbs; conditions involved include weak or lack of control of the upper and lower limbs as well as the trunk.
After starting to play boccia at the Hong Kong Red Cross Princess Alexandra School at about the age of six, Leung became more outgoing. “After I met more physically challenged people during the games, I realised I was being timid for not facing my disorder head-on. So, I pushed myself to do things I was scared of,” he says.
He also values the freedom and sense of authority this sport grants him. “With a ball in one hand, I can focus all my efforts on excelling and go wherever I want.”
Above Leung holds one of his personal boccia balls (Photo: Issac Lam)
Leung holds one of his personal boccia balls (Photo: Issac Lam)
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Leung joined the Hong Kong team in the early 2000s. At the time, there was no official support system for athletes with disabilities who wanted to go into their sport full-time. The boccia team needed day jobs to pay the bills, then would train about two to three hours after work, three days per week. Without a designated training ground, the team had to travel to different public sports centres to practise. Whenever doubts began to creep in as to whether he should keep up the sport, Leung would recall how much he loved it.
In 2017, when the government finally extended support that allowed para-athletes to turn professional, he pursued it without hesitation. Leung’s wife, Sze Shan-shan, whom he met while he was working as a receptionist at The Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong, became a boccia coach so that she could accompany him at tournaments.
Above Leung wears Homme Plissé Issey Miyake jacket (Photo: Issac Lam)
Leung wears Homme Plissé Issey Miyake jacket (Photo: Issac Lam)
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One of the most memorable moments in his career was at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Leung fell ill and missed out on the mixed pairs final but, with Sze’s encouragement, he found the strength to bounce back. In his individual match, he took the gold, more than a decade after his initial victory. He was profoundly moved.
As one of the most experienced members of the Hong Kong team, Leung has taken on something of a mentor role. He often advises his teammates on improving their skills and spends time with them after training. He wants to encourage the new generation of aspiring professional athletes to be brave: “Take the first step, then fight for what you want,” he says.
Meanwhile, the 40-year-old has no plans to slow down, saying: “I aspire to compete in ten Paralympic Games, so I will keep playing for at least 16 more years.”
Need to know: What is boccia?
Boccia was first introduced at the Paralympics in 1984 and has no Olympic equivalent. It is a precision ball sport, where players throw, kick or use a ramp to propel a ball onto the court, with the goal of getting closest to a “jack” ball. It is similar to bocce and designed for athletes with a disability affecting locomotor function.
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Creative Direction: Zoe Yau
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Based in Hong Kong, editor Yoyo Chow covers the people and ideas redefining Asia’s future—from cutting-edge innovation and AI to bold moves in sustainability and diversity. She also drives content for Tatler Gen.T in Hong Kong, a platform and community spotlighting the region’s next generation of startup founders, creatives and changemakers.
Before that, she was a video journalist producing content for international TV and digital platforms, including Reuters and South China Morning Post. If you have a powerful story to share, she’s all ears. Send press materials, event invites and any inquiries to yoyo.chow@tatlerasia.com.
