John Lee as well as the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office have lauded the “tenacious” Hong Kong Olympians as the Paris Games come to a close. Photo: XinhuaAs the curtains come down on the Paris Olympics, officials from Beijing and Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu have congratulated the city’s athletes for their historic performance in the Games.
The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office praised the athletes on Sunday for winning two gold and two bronze medals.
“You have been self-reliant, tenacious and enterprising, vividly interpreting the Lion Rock spirit,” the office told the Hong Kong team.
The Lion Rock spirit emerged during the 1970s. It refers to the “can-do” attitude of Hong Kong people, specifically the generation of baby boomers when the economy was fast growing.
They also showed the spirit and demeanour of Hong Kong’s young generation and how it strived and chased dreams in the new era, while writing a new chapter for the city, the office noted.
“The motherland is proud of you. The office extends its heartfelt congratulations,” it said.
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It also expressed hope that the athletes would continue upholding the Olympic spirit and Chinese sporting spirit, inspiring all Hongkongers with even better performances to focus efforts and strive for economic and developmental progress.
Siobhan Haughey, 26, clinched bronze in the 100m freestyle final after finishing just 0.17 seconds behind winner Sarah Sjostrom, the world record-holder, who finished in 52.16.
Haughey also won another bronze in the 200m freestyle with a time of 1:54.55.
She also made history as the only Hong Kong swimmer to win 100m and 200m freestyle medals in two Olympic Games.
Épéeist Vivian Kong Man-wai, 30, secured a gold, while Cheung Ka-long, 27, made history by winning a gold medal in fencing in Paris after winning a previous one during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The city leader also expressed his “heartfelt congratulations” to the athletes on their historic achievements and gratitude to all sectors for their strong support.
He said the athletes had shown extraordinary capabilities at the Paris Olympics and achieved historic results.
“Every athlete has given their all and unleashed their full potential. Despite results, all exhibited determination, perseverance and professionalism,” Lee said, adding that he was deeply inspired.
He noted that in the 2024-25 financial year, the government’s annual funding for the Hong Kong Sports Institute amounted to HK$941.6 million (US$120.7 million), an increase of about 40 per cent from 2019-2020.
The estimated expenditure on sports development in 2024-25 would be around HK$7.9 billion, which was more than doubled compared with a decade ago, the chief executive added.
He highlighted the rise in government funding for sports in recent years and expressed confidence in Hong Kong athletes’ future success at major events.
Lee said several important sports events would take place shortly, including the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games in late August.
“I am confident that various sectors will continue to support Hong Kong athletes to shine in the competitions, demonstrating the indomitable spirit of Hong Kong,” he said.