Ian Brownlee

Opinion | Lack of sports facilities keeps Hong Kong from going for more gold

Investing in training facilities will benefit those athletes between the casual and elite who provide competition for Hong Kong’s best

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Ian Brownlee

Published: 9:30am, 18 Jul 2024

How will Hong Kong’s athletes perform at the Paris Olympics? Will their results show progress in the city’s production of world-class athletes?

Will the number of medals achieved reflect progress when compared with the six medals from Tokyo – one gold, two silver and three bronze, the best results ever for Hong Kong? It’s unlikely as that was a great achievement which will be difficult to better.

Every result from the Olympics or Asian Games raises questions about whether Hong Kong’s sports system is fit for purpose. Interest in people’s health and well-being is growing; I have seen an increase in people participating in sport in recent years as well as the types of sports available. The growth in world-class trail-running events is remarkable, thanks to the opportunities provided by Hong Kong’s magnificent country parks.

The city’s sports pyramid is well-developed, with the Hong Kong Sports Institute at its peak. People who use the many public facilities available through the Leisure and Cultural Services Department for recreational sports make up the broad base of the pyramid. Recreational sports are for enjoyment and improving public health, though, rather than performance.

Between the recreational level and the sports institute exists a main group of active athletes. These people in the middle of the pyramid are the most important group as they provide the competition that help nurture top athletes. A pathway from the junior levels through this middle group is necessary to elevate our best athletes into the elite levels.

However, this is where the disconnect takes place. We do not have large enough competitive athletes in the middle group to support a larger group of elite athletes able to compete at the highest levels.