Fujian win first National Games gold in Hong Kong SAR in beach volleyball

The first Hong Kong SAR-based gold at China's 15th National Games was awarded on Saturday evening at Victoria Park, after Fujian's Xue Chen and Zeng Jinjin triumphed in the women's beach volleyball final with a 2-1 victory over Nanjing's Yan Xu and Zhou Mingli.

Xue and Zeng opened the match with a commanding 21-15 demolition in the first set. But Nanjing's Yan and Zhou quickly regrouped, adjusting their strategy and responding with a strong 21-13 thrashing in the second to level the overall score and force a decider.

The third set featured fierce rallies, sharp spikes and crucial defensive saves, thrilling the crowd throughout the frame. The duo from Fujian held firm under pressure to close out the contest 15-9, winning the first gold medal competition among the eight National Games events staged in the Hong Kong SAR.

"This is my third National Games and Xue's sixth," Zeng said. "The moment we stepped onto the court, our only goal was to give it our all."

Zeng added that she and Xue had been training together for a year, with both players managing injuries in the lead-up to the top domestic competition.

In the bronze medal match, Xinjiang's Wang Jingzhe and Xia Xinyi swept past Jiangsu's Yuan Lvwen and Zhu Lingdi in straight sets to clinch third place.