Opinion | Hong Kong must start work now on grooming our next Olympic champions
- Hong Kong can be rightly proud of the city’s success at the Paris Games, and this is the time to map a blueprint to ensure new talent is identified and fully supported
The excitement generated by the medal-winning feats of Hong Kong’s star Olympians has not abated, as they return to a hero’s welcome.
Fencers Cheung Ka-long and Vivian Kong Man-wai both struck gold, while swimmer Siobhan Haughey became the city’s most decorated Olympic athlete, with two bronze. They deserve all the plaudits they have received.
But with Hong Kong’s medals won and the Paris Summer Games near conclusion, attention must now turn to the future and how to maintain the momentum. Success should breed success. There is no room for complacency.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged further government support. Funding for the Hong Kong Sports Institute, which oversees top athletes, has increased 45 per cent since 2018/19 with HK$863 million (US$111 million) invested in 2023/24.
But as more taxpayers’ money is spent, the need for transparency, accountability and improvement also grows. Expectations are much higher. The community, which rallies behind its sports stars, is entitled to value for money.
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Two-time Paris Olympics bronze medallist Siobhan Haughey returns to Hong Kong
There will be a review of Hong Kong’s Olympics performance, which should help the public better understand in which sports young talent is to be found, so that future medallists can be groomed.
