Hong Kong foil boss Koenig completes hat-trick of Coach of the Year awards, and immediately targets fourth prize
- Paul John claims prize for best team sport coach following twin-Asian Games rugby sevens success
- Tenpin bowling coach honoured, along with bosses from para swimming, para lawn bowls, and table tennis
Gregory Koenig immediately targeted a fourth straight Coach of the Year award, after the men’s foil boss claimed the 2023 honour at a Hong Kong Sports Institute presentation ceremony on Saturday.
A former European champion in the team foil, Frenchman Koenig was feted at the Jockey Club Hong Kong Coaching Awards, after Cheung Ka-long followed his landmark Tokyo Olympics triumph by winning foil gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Teammates Ryan Choi and Daphne Chan won bronze medals in the individual men’s and women’s events, respectively, while there were further bronzes for the Hong Kong men’s and women’s foil teams.
William Edward Hoffman, the Hong Kong tenpin bowling coach, was recognised in the Senior Athletes Team Event category. The stellar performances of the Hong Kong rugby sevens teams in 2023 earned Paul John, the sport’s head coach, the prize for Best Team Sport Coach.
Serial winner Koenig is fashioning a plan for Cheung’s Olympic title defence this summer.
“We will continue to work as hard as possible to get this trophy next year, after the Paris Olympics,” Koenig said. “There are always ups and downs in sport, but receiving this kind of reward is very helpful for the mind and the mood.
“I really appreciate it, but it is not only for me, I have a number of colleagues who work as hard as I do for the fencing team.”
Hoffman was honoured for the second time, after winning the same award in 2017. In 2023, Hongkongers Wu Siu-hong, Tse Chun-hin, and Wong Kwan-yuen, won IBF World Bowling Championships gold in the men’s trio competition.
“I am thankful for the performances of my athletes, they spent 10 years trying to be world champions, and accomplished that dream last year,” Hoffman said.
Leung Shuk-ying, the para swimming (intellectual disability) coach, was honoured alongside Koenig in the Senior Athletes Individual Sport category.
Leung’s star swimmer, Chan Yui-lam, will compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games, after winning 2023 World Para Swimming Championships gold in the women’s 100 metre butterfly S14.
Para lawn bowls (physical disability) coach Ng Yu-hin joined Hoffman in being bestowed with a Senior Athletes Team Event coaching award. Hong Kong’s team returned from the 2023 Asian Para Games with one gold and one silver, adding to the bronze they claimed at the World Bowls Championships.
Welshman John oversees Hong Kong’s rugby sevens programme at the HKSI. Under head coach Jevon Groves, the men’s team retained their Asian Games title in thrilling style, overcoming Japan in a nail-biting semi-final, before winning a similarly tight final against South Korea. Englishman Andy Vilk, who was appointed head coach last year, led Hong Kong women to their first Asian Games medal, with victory over Thailand in the match for bronze.
“This award is recognition for the whole department,” John said. “What both teams did in the Asian Games was a great achievement, and a reward for the hard work of everybody, from the coaching staff to all the people in the office. We have two very competitive squads, and a lot to look forward to this year.”
Zhang Rui, who has been in charge of Hong Kong table tennis since 2009, received the Distinguished Services Award for Coaching.
In junior sports, billiard coach Nip Hoi-yan won in the individual sport category, with the team coaching honour going to sailing’s Rory James Godman.
Lai Oi-yan, who has been prominent in cycling coaching for the past 14 years, was presented with the Coach Education Award.
A total of 269 nominations were made across seven prize categories, with 213 coaches receiving some form of recognition, the majority across awards for coaching excellence, community coaching, and school coaching.
Edmund Hung Chor-ying, chairman of the Hong Kong coaching committee, said: “In 2023, Hong Kong athletes achieved remarkable accomplishments at the World University Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games, and many other international competitions. All these cannot be made possible without the tireless effort and nurture from coaches.”
