Media

HKU a Venue of Choice for Pre-Olympic Training by 10 International Teams

05 Aug 2008

 

Group photo at the welcoming reception for Olympians held in University Lodge

Over 130 athletes, coaches and staff from 10 national teams competing in 6 different sports have chosen The University of Hong Kong (HKU) as their training location prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This makes HKU the major focal point in Hong Kong for pre-Olympic training by international teams.

The visiting groups who have been using HKU's facilities include Olympians from Australia (track & field), Austria (swimming, judo, track & field, sailing and rhythmic gymnastics), the Bahamas (track & field), Barbados (track & field), Denmark (badminton), Fiji (track & field), Jamaica (track & field), New Zealand (track & field), Trinidad & Tobago (track & field and swimming) and Vanuatu (track & field). The athletes from Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Fiji, Jamaica and Vanuatu have also been staying on campus during their training. Later this month, HKU will also host athletes from New Zealand and Australia competing in the Paralympics.

At a welcoming reception for the 2008 Olympians, HKU Vice-Chancellor Professor Lap-Chee Tsui wished all the athletes the best in their quest for success at the Olympics.

He did so while standing next to a large red poster, signed by all the visitors, symbolizing good luck and prominently displaying the Chinese characters 加油 meaning 'go for it'.

Professor Tsui said: "At HKU, we place a premium on whole-person education and view involvement in sport and physical recreation as an important component of our students' learning experience."

"As HKU is a leading international university with global reach and visions, having high-achieving international athletes on campus provides valuable opportunities for our students and staff to also enrich their international exposure," he continued.

Also present at the reception was HKU current sport scholar Ms. Elaine Chan who is among the 34 Olympians who will represent Hong Kong in Beijing. Including Ms. Chan there are totally 4 HKU current and past sport scholars in the team representing Hong Kong in the 2008 Olympics:

- Miss Chan Yu Ning, Elaine (student in Economics & Finance) for swimming (50m freestyles);
- Mr. Cheng Man Kit, Kenneth (student in Account and Finance) for equestrian event;
- Mr. Lau Kwok Kin (graduate in Sports Science and Leisure Management) for fencing foil; and
- Miss Chan Wai Kei (graduate in Engineering) for windsurfing;

For Miss Elaine Chan and Mr. Lau, Beijing will be their second Olympics, having already competed in the 2004 Athens Games.

Distinguished guests attending the reception were Mr. Timothy Fok (President, Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China), Mrs. Vivien Fung (Vice-President, Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China), Ms. Carrie Yau (Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs Bureau, HKSAR), Professor Joe Lee (HKU Pro-Vice-Chancellor), Professor John Spinks (HKU Senior Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor), Dr. Sarah Liao (HKU, Senior Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor on Environmental and Sustainability Matters), Professor Bruce Abernethy (HKU, Director of Institute of Human Performance) and Professor Shirley Grundy (HKU, Dean of Education) and Dr. Albert Chau (HKU, Dean of Student Affairs).

The organisation of the Olympic team training camps and the administration of the sport scholarship scheme has been undertaken by HKU's Institute of Human Performance (IHP).

At the reception Director of the IHP Professor Bruce Abernethy said "we believe the recent development, to international (IAAF) standards, of our track and field facilities plus the recent enhancement of the health and fitness facilities at the Stanley Ho Sports Centre are key reasons for the popularity".

"These new facilities will also help the University cater for the increasing demand for sports facility access which will accompany the increasing student numbers we will see as the new 4-year academic structure is introduced in 2012 and the number of international students coming to study at HKU continues to grow, " he continued.

About HKU Sports Scholarship Scheme

In line with its commitment to fostering sporting excellence in parallel with academic excellence, HKU was the first institution in Hong Kong to introduce a sport scholarship scheme back in 1996. The scheme offers an alternative admission path to the University for outstanding young men and women whose pre-university experience includes a significant commitment to the pursuit of sporting excellence as well as to their formal academic studies.

About the HKU Institute of Human Performances (IHP)

The IHP was established in 2002 to integrate the University's academic teaching and research programmes in exercise science with the provision of practical programmes to support both participation and high performance in sport and physical activity within and beyond the University. [For details of IHP please visit http://www.ihp.hku.hk/]

For media enquiries, please contact HKU Ms. Cherry Cheung (tel: 2859 2606/ 8208 1868) or Mr. Ivan Ho (tel: 2817 5457/9668 6848).