Hong Kong plays the generation game

At the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, curling stands out for its unique inclusivity. It's one of the rare sports where age doesn't matter.

This was particularly evident with the Hong Kong, China mixed doubles pair of Hung Lingyue, aged 60, and her partner Yan Ho-tin, who is half her age.

When Hung releases a stone on the sheet, she will sometimes bend down and shout loudly: "Far! Far! Far!" Urging the stone on to land precisely in the opponent's house.

Yan, in turn, deftly and swiftly sweeps the ice ahead of the stone to melt the surface and adjust its speed and trajectory.

The duo has been competing in mixed doubles for three years, proving that their age gap is not a hindrance, but, in fact, more of a help.

"Yan is a good sweeper," said Hung.

"Hung brings years of experience and strategy, while I provide the physical strength to support her. That's what makes us a team," Yan explained.

Based in Ontario, Canada, where curling is a popular winter sport, Hung first encountered the game during her college years.

Her husband, Rick Collins, who comes from a family of curling enthusiasts, guided her into the sport and has been coaching her ever since.

"This is our passion! We love curling, and I love coaching!" Collins explained.

While curling is a relatively new sport in Yan's hometown of Hong Kong, the special administrative region joined the World Curling Federation in 2014.

Having previously been a competitive curler at the Rideau Curling Club in Ontario, Hung made the decision to reach out to Hong Kong, hoping for an opportunity to represent her hometown on the international stage.

"One day, I came across a small article mentioning that Hong Kong had joined the World Curling Federation. So, I did a quick Google search, found a contact address, and sent an email inquiring about the qualifications required to compete for Hong Kong. That's how the ball got rolling," she recalled.

After Hung joined the Hong Kong curling team, her husband Collins was also recruited as a coach for Hong Kong's senior teams, organizing intensive training sessions in Ottawa, Canada, before each curling season.

In recent years, Yan would fly to Canada to train with Hung, practicing on the ice daily to hone their skills and enhance their synergy.

To prepare for the ongoing continental winter sports gala in Harbin, the duo practiced together in Guangzhou and arrived in the Heilongjiang provincial capital ahead of schedule to find another rink for training.

Reflecting on the changes in the sport over the years, Hung has observed advancements in equipment, improved sweeping techniques, faster ice conditions and the increased dedication of athletes.

Curling may look languid, but demands high levels of strategy, precision and power, all of which drives Hung and Yan's obsession with the sport.

"It engages the mind. The sharper you are, the better you perform in this sport," Collins said.

The competition ended in disappointment for the pair, however, after their 11-4 loss to eventual silver medalist Republic of Korea on Friday, meaning the duo missed out on making it to the medal matches.