The beach volleyball competition — the first Hong Kong-hosted competitive event of the 15th National Games, started on Friday, transforming Victoria Park in Causeway Bay into a vibrant urban beachscape.

Running through Nov 10, two gold medals will be awarded for the event. A total of 52 teams from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao, comprising 104 athletes, are taking part.

Hong Kong is fielding one men's team and two women's teams in the tournament, with six athletes all making a debut on the first day.

The two Hong Kong women's teams — one comprising twin sisters To Wing-tung and To Wing-man; the other comprising Au Yeung Wai-yan and Yuen Ting-chi — completed their first-round matches on Friday morning, losing to teams from Chongqing and Jiangsu respectively.

Following the match, To Wing-tung said that despite the loss, she felt the team’s performance was consistent. She said that they had enjoyed the match and delivered at the level they had trained for, adding that she hopes for even better performances in the games ahead, and that she was deeply touched by the support from fans and family.

Au Yeung Wai-yan said that it was her first time competing in front of a crowd of relatives, friends, and supporters. She acknowledged some initial nerves but said she had soon found her rhythm and was able to relax and enjoy the game, expressing overall satisfaction with the team’s performance. Teammate Yuen added that the venue facilities were well organized and with clear signage.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui also showed up at the venue at noon. She met with the Hong Kong women’s beach volleyball players and later watched the matches from the open stands.

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The first day of the beach volleyball competition features 18 matches, culminating in an evening showdown at 8 pm in which Hong Kong men's pair, Tse Kin-wang and Wong Ka-yun, will face off against Yunnan's Li Wei and Yuan Nengfei.

Lee Ying-ping, a Form 2 student who attended the match with his school, said: “I'm usually a basketball player, but I find volleyball really captivating. It's a different kind of team sport — I think it's definitely something worth picking up.”

He said he was also impressed by Hong Kong athletes' resilience. “I saw that even when they weren't leading, they stayed persistent, supported each other, and quickly adjusted their tactics to face the challenge. It's a great lesson I can apply in my own life.”

Lee added that the atmosphere at the venue was electric, with the emcee keeping the crowd engaged. He also spotted the game booths and souvenir stalls around the venue and plans to check them out later.

Other students said that the Games are well executed and well organized, providing young people with a rare opportunity to see high-level competitions up close.

Another local resident surnamed Lin, came specifically to support those competing in the matches as his friend is a member of the Hong Kong team.

He said that the crowd is smaller than usual on the opening day because it is a weekday, but the atmosphere is still quite lively.

Regarding Hong Kong co-hosting the National Games for the first time, Lin suggested that more free tickets could be distributed to spectators or ticket prices could be lowered to attract larger crowds.

Aside from the matches, the public can also enjoy themselves in a dedicated competition village, which features various game booths. These include digital interactive games and booth games themed around the eight competition events hosted by Hong Kong. The village also offers art workshops, a mini beach volleyball court, and photo spots. Visitors can try the games, purchase tickets for the matches, and cheer for their favorite athletes in person.

Additionally, an official franchised merchandise store at the venue offers a variety of Hong Kong-specific products related to the competition events.

The competition attracted an audience from a wide range of places, including international visitors. Among them were Tiphaine Naibo, a 20-year-old French student on a year-long exchange at the University of Hong Kong, and Thomas Gouze, 21, also a French exchange student in Bangkok, who was visiting Naibo on a five-day trip.

The pair discovered the event serendipitously. "We were just walking past and saw the event happening," Naibo said, complimenting the event’s organization and atmosphere.

"It also feels nice to have that kind of event in the middle of the city," she added.

Gouze, who plays rugby in France, also expressed an interest in Hong Kong's sporting calendar. The pair said that they would be interested in attending Hong Kong's other flagship sports event, the Hong Kong Sevens, which will be held in April next year.

After watching the matches, the pair said they were planning to continue experiencing the city, and to enjoy the Halloween festivities in Lan Kwai Fong.

A 26-year-old Shenzhen resident, surnamed Han, made a special trip to Hong Kong to experience the unique atmosphere of the National Games. Though not an avid sports fan, she is following this national-level event with interest due to its proximity.

Han praised the facilities at the venue and said she had found the cross-boundary procedures and security checks to be convenient, with no congestion encountered. She also said she plans to extend her National Games experience by visiting other host cities like Guangzhou and Macao.

Contact the writer at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com