Hong Kong Olympian Cheng taking break after Paris push, to focus on youth charity outreach
Swimmer Camille Cheng launched Mind the Waves with teammates Stephanie Au and Jamie Yeung, and believes in ‘preventive intervention’ approach
Despite being on a temporary break from competition, swimmer Camille Cheng Lily-mei has remained active since representing Hong Kong at the Paris Olympics, pushing forward with her mental health advocacy work and confirming she will deliver a TED talk in the city in December.
The 31-year-old was part of the women’s 4x100 metres freestyle relay team in Paris, but has not joined her teammates at this month’s World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Shanghai, Incheon and Singapore.
However, the seven-time Asian Games medallist is still training at the Hong Kong Sports Institute and eyeing a return in 2025, all while co-managing her mental health advocacy group, Mind the Waves.
“The way we [Mind the Waves] position ourselves is more like advocacy, education, and then being the bridge to get people the help and the resources that they may need, but our philosophy is preventive intervention,” Cheng said.
“Why wait until you know you’re burning out or having a panic attack or dealing with depression to start taking care of your mental health?”
Cheng started Mind the Waves with Hong Kong swimmers Stephanie Au Hoi-shun and Jamie Yeung Zhen-mei in February last year to support young people suffering from, or on the verge of, a mental health crisis.
