Hong Kong’s Vivian Kong joins 80 students on Hangzhou trip for her first day at Jockey Club

Olympic gold medallist joins Chief Secretary Eric Chan and labour minister Chris Sun on trip to mainland under city’s mentorship programme

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Olympic medallist Vivian Kong (left) joins students on a mentorship trip to the mainland. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 11:42am, 11 Aug 2024Updated: 7:53pm, 11 Aug 2024

Olympic gold medallist Vivian Kong Man-wai started her first day of work with the Hong Kong Jockey Club by joining more than 80 students on a mentorship tour to the mainland Chinese city of Hangzhou.

She was joined for Sunday’s tour launch, arranged by the non-profit organisation under the government’s “Strive and Rise” mentoring programme, by No 2 official Eric Chan Kwok-ki and labour minister Chris Sun Yuk-han.

Shortly after Kong’s return from the Paris Games on August 1, the club announced the 30-year-old épéeist would work for the organisation as its assistant external affairs manager.

Raymond Tam Chi-yuen, the club’s executive director for corporate affairs, said the charity had received her job application in February and made her an offer after a lengthy interview process.

“We found that she is a very suitable talent that can take up this role, but it was only after she finished the Paris Olympics that she made up her mind to join us,” Tam said during the trip launch.

The gold-winning fencer also shared why she accepted the job.