Sibling bond reinforced by TT

Hung Wah Tak and Hung Ka Tak,cadet siblings representing Hong Kong at the recently concluded Asian Juniors,look remarkably similar

Hung Wah Tak and Hung Ka Tak,cadet siblings representing Hong Kong at the recently concluded Asian Juniors,look remarkably similar,even though they arent twins so much so that referees and players are often confused between the two. If it wasn’t for the numbers on their jersey it would be difficult to separate one from the other, says SS Mitra,who officiated one of their matches. But for all the confusion caused,they distinguised themselves with a strong performance.

For five consecutive years,Hong Kong’s cadet (U-15) paddlers have been thwarted at the Asian Junior Championships by the game’s heavyweights like China and Japan. However,this year,standing against their country’s dismal record and formidable opponents were the duo who refused to give way. Their team went on to secure a bronze medal,Hong Kongs first ever for cadets.

Wah,also known as William,and Ka,called Victor began practising table tennis with each other at a club in Hong Kong in 2004. An evening pastime became a full time passion and playing with each other,they competed to be the familys best player,helping each other get better. This game has helped them come closer,now they sit and watch videos of top players for hours online, their mother,Josephine Tak says.

Their game took a leap when their parents sent them to Guangzhou,China,in 2010 for better training. During their stay in China last year,Victor cut his hand accidentally with a blade. William cycled 15 km to get him to a hospital without taking anyone’s help, says Josephine. This bond reflects in their doubles matches,as could be seen in the ITTF international tournaments held in the last few months at Italy,Spain,South Africa and France the duo won twelve matches and three titles,losing just one the final at Italy.

That turned out to be perfect practice as they came to India brimming with confidence. While William also played singles,Victor partnered him in doubles. Their games complement each other and they have a lot of potential, coach Yung To Long.

Their mother photographs their on-court memories for her 1000GB external drive. Though her boys lost in the semifinals,their performance was reason enough for her to click plenty of pictures.

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Asian Junior Championships