Hong Kong, China, October 28, 2024: Hong Kong, China athletes recently showcased outstanding performances at the Paris Olympics and Paralympic Games and brought home a remarkable tally of two golds and two bronzes from the Olympics and three golds, four silvers and a bronze from the Paralympics.
To help the public better appreciate the inspirational journeys of these elites and spread their message of resilience and goal-setting with the whole city, the Jockey Club Sports PLUS Elite Athletes Community Program, funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and organised by the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI), held a weekend-long Meet the Olympians Sharing Session on October 25 and 26.
A number of elite athletes from the Olympics and Paralympics attended the two-day event to engage with over 500 students and teachers, attracting more than 1,000 members of the general public.
The first-day session was held at the HKSI Lecture Theatre and featured athletes Vivian Kong Man-wai (fencing), Ma Kwan-ching (windsurfing) and Daniel Chan Ho-yuen (para-badminton). The session was attended by 300 teachers and students from 11 schools.
The second-day sharing session took place at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin, featuring athletes Ceci Lee Sze-wing (cycling), Shek Wai-hung (gymnastics), Grace Lau Mo-sheung (karate), Leung Yuk-wing (boccia) and Chan (para-badminton). Over 100 students and community organisation representatives, as well as members of the pubic, had the opportunity to meet Hong Kong's sporting heroes and gain a deeper understanding of the personal effort and dedication behind their achievements.
Paris 2024 gold medal-winning fencer Vivian Kong commented: “I am delighted to be here today to share my story, especially to the many schoolchildren attending. With the help of the HKSI, I have been able to pursue my sporting ambitions to the very highest level in fencing, and even to win gold for Hong Kong.
“At the same time, I have always been able to continue my educational pursuits, which allowed me to successfully transition and continue on to another stage to keep shining. This is an important message to young people and their families, that the positive values and lessons of sport can really help us to achieve our other goals in life as well.”
In addition to the sharing sessions, the elite athletes also teamed up with audience members to participate in some fun games. The event also featured performances by martial arts representatives and the rope skipping team from Po Leung Kuk Lam Man Chan English Primary School, providing a dynamic show for the athletes and the public alike.
(Released on behalf of the Hong Kong Sports Institute by Elite Step Asia Limited)
