A runner in a rabbit costume celebrates a joyful finish at the 2023 Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon in Victoria Park on Feb 12, 2023, amid a vibrant field of over 35,000 participants. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Editor’s note: In the third and final chapter of the series, China Daily celebrated Hong Kong’s athletic prowess and the city’s spirited comeback through sports in the wake of the pandemic. 

The remarkable international successes of local athletes ignited a fresh wave of enthusiasm for sports across the city. The highlight was the Hangzhou Asian Games, where Hong Kong athletes shone, securing an impressive 53 medals and ranking 12th in the medal standings.

The city has been buzzing with events, with costumed marathon runners and world-class champions, reflecting a community’s passion and its quest for global reconnection. As we bid farewell to a memorable year, these snapshots serve as a reminder of the power of sports to uplift and unite, reflecting the energetic heartbeat of Hong Kong itself.

Paddlers in inflatable pig costumes glide across the finish line at the 2023 Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races in Victoria Harbour on June 25, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

A race car kicks up a storm at the 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship in Hong Kong, held at the Central Harbourfront Circuit on Nov 11, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong soccer players (in red) and an Iranian rival vie for the ball during the men’s quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Oct 1, 2023. The Hong Kong team won the match 1-0, marking a historic semifinal advance. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

An exhausted Yeung Pui-lam collapses on court after securing a win along with her badminton partner, Yeung Nga-ting, in the women’s doubles round of 16 match at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Oct 4, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong swimmer Siobhan Haughey dazzles in the women’s 200m freestyle final at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept 25, 2023. The 25-year-old clinched the gold medal and shattered the Games record with a time of 1:54:12. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

The Hong Kong artistic swimming team competes during the team acrobatic routine of artistic swimming at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Oct 6, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

An Australian player (in orange) vies for possession against Samoa on April 2, 2023, the last day of the Hong Kong Sevens 2023 rugby tournament. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Taichi Kho (center) beams with excitement after securing Hong Kong’s first Asiad golf gold in the men’s individual event at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Oct 1, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong artistic swimmers execute a perfect maneuver during the team’s acrobatic routine at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Oct 6, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

A Kenyan player (in red) makes a run against his Hong Kong team opponent on April 2, 2023 at the Hong Kong Sevens. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

A Hong Kong team player exits the field with a bloody reminder of the hard-fought match against Uruguay on April 1, 2023 at the Hong Kong Sevens. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Wong Chun-ting serves in the table tennis men’s singles semifinal at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Oct 2, 2023. He lost the game to a national team player and won a bronze medal. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Vivian Kong Man-wai (left) engages in a fierce bout with South Korea’s Song Sera during the women’s epee team finals at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept 27, 2023. The Hong Kong team took home silver following a nerve-wracking loss. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong esports athletes compete against the national team during the Dream Three Kingdoms 2 final match at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Sept 30, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)