Hong Kong competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. It was the territory's thirteenth appearance at the Olympics and, at the opening ceremony, its team was the last to enter the stadium before the host nation because of the use of the Greek alphabet.
The Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China sent a total of 32 athletes to the Games, 18 women and 14 men, to compete in 10 sports, surpassing only a single athlete short of the record from Sydney four years earlier. For the first time in Olympic history, Hong Kong was represented by more female than male athletes. Thirteen of them had previously competed in Sydney, including track cyclist Wong Kam Po, Mistral windsurfer and 1996 Olympic champion Lee Lai Shan, and backstroke swimmer Sherry Tsai, who eventually became the nation's flag bearer in the opening ceremony.[1]
Hong Kong left Athens with a silver medal feat from table tennis players Ko Lai Chak and Li Ching in the men's doubles tournament.[2][3]
Hong Kong athletes achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard).[4][5]
Key
Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
Q = Qualified for the next round
q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; R=Repechage
Hong Kong swimmers earned qualifying standards in the following events (up to a maximum of 2 swimmers in each event at the A-standard time, and 1 at the B-standard time):