Leung Yuk Wing not feeling the pressure in Incheon

The Games in Incheon are the second ever Asian Para Games, after the first was held in Guangzhou, China, in 2010.

Hong Kong’s boccia double world champion Leung Yuk Wing is not feeling the weight of expectation ahead of the Incheon 2014 Asian Para Games in South Korea, which get underway on Saturday (18 October).

After winning two gold medals at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games, Yuk Wing struggled to replicate his form.

It took a long time to return to the top, but he did exactly that at the 2014 BISFED Boccia World Championships in Beijing, China, winning the individual BC4 crown and the pairs title.

This makes him the man to beat in Incheon, but despite this, he knows that he must remain calm and concentrate on his own performance.

“I try not to put pressure on myself. I try to take it easy and just do my best in every match,” he said.

“After winning the titles at Athens 2004, I put too much pressure on myself and my results then turned unsatisfactory. I worked on my psychological thinking in the past years and tried to focus on doing my best in every match. This has helped me maintain a peaceful mind during competition.

“I will do my best in every single game and will concentrate on the competition.”

The World Championships were dominated by Asian athletes, with South Korea topping the medals table, ahead of Thailand and Yuk Wing’s Hong Kong.

And the three-time Paralympian knows that he will face strong competition for gold in Incheon.

“My main rivals in the Asian Para Games will be Zheng Yuansen (China), Larpyen Pornchok (Thailand), Seo Hyeonseok (South Korea) and also my teammates Lau Wai Yan Vivian and Wong Kwan Hang.

“The Asian region is one of the most competitive regions in the world. Many Asian countries have a strong establishment in boccia and the sport has been developing very rapidly in the region as well.”

But Yuk Wing has been training hard to ensure he is prepared for whatever his competitors have for him.

“Strategy is one of the main elements in boccia. I have been practicing how to use different tactics when facing different types of opponents,” he said.

The Games in Incheon are the second ever Asian Para Games, after the first was held in Guangzhou, China, in 2010.

This year’s competition will feature 603 medal events across 23 sports between 18-24 October, and Yuk Wing believes the event is integral to the growth of para-sport across the region and hopes it can further develop opportunities for sport in his home country.

“Paralympic sport is not very big in Hong Kong. I hope Paralympic Sport can get more public awareness in Hong Kong,” he said.

“The Asian Para Games are very crucial for the Paralympic Movement in Asia. With this big event, more people will get to know Paralympic sports. For boccia, the sport has yet to be well developed in Middle Eastern countries. I hope more countries can engage and develop boccia.”