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Harvey Kong

Fiona Sun

Hong Kong’s outstanding performance at the Paris Olympics has shown that the government’s investment and policies are on the right path, the sports minister has said, while calling on the business community to hire retired athletes.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung also confirmed on Saturday authorities were working towards hosting a visit by mainland Chinese gold-medal athletes later this month.
“I think our results reflect that over a period of time ... perhaps five to 10 years, that the resources placed by the government in sports, and our policies, were in the right direction overall,” he told a radio programme.
Hong Kong has made history in Paris with its best Olympic gold medal tally after foilist Cheung Ka-long and épéeist Vivian Kong Man-wai each won gold, while swimmer Siobhan Haughey came away with two bronze medals.
Cheung won gold in the same event in the Tokyo Games and Haughey scored two silver medals, contributing to the six medals earned by the city’s athletes that year.
Yeung noted that developing elite athletes was not something that could be achieved within the space of a couple of years, noting that the city’s two gold medallist fencers had taken part in three Olympic Games.
He added that long-term investment, greater participation in sports and a change of attitudes among the public were also necessary.
“A dozen or so years ago, parents did not like their children to fully immerse themselves in sports, believing that studying may be more important,” he said.
“We have seen some changes in the past few years. This could be related to the government being more involved in helping our elite athletes, for instance, with their arrangements after their retirement, such as study or work. This would allow parents to be more at ease compared with before.”
Yeung said the government had supported athletes in securing places in universities so they could pursue further studies.
Authorities also had programmes in place to allow retired athletes to take up work related to the field.
The minister also addressed Kong’s shock announcement that she would step away from the sport and her new role as an assistant external affairs manager at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, adding that he “absolutely” supported and respected her decision.
“I think all athletes will have a day where they will retire. A lot of times sports will require a certain amount of physical strength or training,” he said.
“Everyone knows that she has already taken part in three Olympic Games. Everyone also knows that she has been injured, so I think as a personal decision, we absolutely support and respect her decision.”
Yeung also discussed Kong’s new role at the Jockey Club, saying the organisation was a “good employer” and it was most important that she was able to find opportunities and a working environment where she could thrive.
“I hope she can fully utilise her abilities there and that she can give back to society through the Hong Kong Jockey Club,” he said.
Appearing on another radio programme, Yeung also urged the business community to consider hiring former athletes due to their ability to face adversity.

The minister confirmed on Saturday that authorities were discussing arrangements for a visit from gold-medal winning mainland athletes to Hong Kong, with Yeung hoping that they would be able to come to the city this month.
The Post had reported that these athletes would visit tentatively in late August, in line with previous arrangements where Olympians met Hongkongers after the conclusion of the Games.
Lobo Louie Hung-tak, senior lecturer of health and physical education at the Education University of Hong Kong, said more needed to be done to drive forward the city’s sports development, urging the government to build more training venues and increase funding.
The authorities should focus on the development of a wider range of sports, beyond the more well recognised ones such as fencing and swimming, he said.
Louie also called for government help to ensure a smooth transition from one generation of professional athletes to the next, including through more school sports programmes.
Details over the visit of mainland Olympic athletes remain unclear, such as how many or which stars will join.
Olympic delegations from the mainland have paid visits to the city since Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
In the last Games in Tokyo in 2021, the national team won 38 gold medals, 32 silver medals and 18 bronze medals.
The gold medallists visited Hong Kong for three days in December that year, treating residents to performances in sports such as badminton, fencing, gymnastics, table tennis, diving and swimming.


Separately, the Hong Kong table tennis team and gymnast Shek Wai-hung returned to the city from Paris on Saturday.
Table tennis team head coach Li Ching said his players performed well but were unfortunate during critical moments. He said the athletes would have had a better shot at winning if they were bolder and hit harder.
Team members Doo Hoi-kem and Wong Chun-ting lost their bronze medal match to South Korea in the mixed doubles event, while Doo, Lee Ho-ching and Zhu Chengzhu were defeated by Sweden in the round of 16 in the women’s team event.
Speaking to the media upon his return, Shek said he was pleased that he could compete at his third Olympics despite a rough journey prior to the Games.
He added that his immediate priority was to rest and recover from his leg injury, but he could not answer whether he would compete in the next Games.
Shek came in 14th place in the men’s vault event in gymnastics and missed qualifying for the event’s final.
When asked what he was looking forward to most after returning to the city, Shek only had one response: “I want to have hotpot.”


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Hong Kong society

Hong Kong’s Olympic success shows government investment, policies on right path: minister

Sports chief Kevin Yeung (left) welcomes Team Hong Kong at the airport, including Olympic gold medallist Vivian Kong. Photo: Elson Li

Swimmer Siobhan Haughey won two bronze medals at the Paris Games. Photo: Reuters

Young people can become champions in Hong Kong, live up to Olympic ideals, John Lee says

Star fencer Vivian Kong (centre) holds up her gold medal at the youth summit. Photo: Dickson Lee

City leader John Lee proposed the creation of the summit as part of last year’s policy address. Photo: Handout

Officials on stage at the event. One lawmaker says she feels it only served “symbolic” purposes. Photo: Facebook/John Lee

Paris Olympics: Hong Kong athletes top prize money charts, but British rivals get nothing

Along with the pride that comes with winning a gold medal, fencer Vivian Kong will also earn $HK6m in prize money. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong’s Cheung Ka-long on the podium after winning the gold medal in the men’s individual foil. Photo: AP

Chinese Taipei weightlifter Kuo Hsing-Chun, who won the 59kg category, will receive about US$716,000. Photo: Reuters

Great Britain’s Alex Yee won the triathlon but will not receive financial rewards from his country. Photo: AP

Hong Kong security chief defends Olympic champion Vivian Kong, calls critics ‘brainless’

Olympic gold medallist Vivian Kong addresses the media at Hong Kong’s airport after her return from the Paris Games. Photo: Elson Li

Secretary for Security Chris Tang says Vivian Kong “condemns violence” amid controversy over her pro-government stance expressed in an academic paper. Photo: Dickson Lee

News

Hong Kong

Society

Sports chief Kevin Yeung also calls on business community to consider hiring retired athletes due to their ability to face adversity


Sports chief Kevin Yeung also calls on business community to consider hiring retired athletes due to their ability to face adversity.
