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The University of Hong Kong (HKU) launched the “Top Athletes Direct Admission Scheme” from the start of the academic year 2022/23 to encourage outstanding athletes to join the University, with competitive admissions mainly based on sports achievements. HKU has recently welcomed eight exceptional athletes via the Scheme. They have been awarded the "HKU Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship" and the “Non-Academic Scholarship”, amounting to a total of HK$2.9 million.

This year’s "HKU Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship" awardees include Cindy Cheung Sum Yuet (Swimming), who represented Hong Kong in Women’s 100m and 200m Backstroke at the Paris Olympics 2024, and Yeung Chi Ka (Fencing), both of whom are enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSS) programme; Chloe Pak Hoi Man (Athletics), who has been admitted to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme; Johannsson Magnus Prostur (Athletics) and Kikabhoy Rafeek (Windsurfing), who will undertake the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programme; and Fong Hoi Sun (Fencing) and Nicole He Jada (Wushu), who will pursue the Bachelor of Arts (BA) programme and Bachelor of Science (BSc) programme, respectively. Anson Wong Tsz Wun (Fencing), the recipient of the “Non-Academic Scholarship”, is enrolled in the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programme.

Professor Bennett Yim, Director of Undergraduate Admissions and International Student Exchange, said: "We are grateful for the support from various sports sectors, which has led to numerous outstanding nominations this year. These athletes have demonstrated remarkable performance and achievements in their respective fields. Their resilience and self-discipline are vital for their academic success. I hope they enjoy their campus life and learning at HKU."

Professor Yim expressed gratitude to the Lee Shau Kee Foundation for their generous and longstanding support of HKU. The establishment of the "HKU Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship" enables students to excel in both sports and academics, allowing them to thrive in the international sports arena. HKU is committed to providing these athletes with the necessary support for their sports development and academic pursuits, enabling them to fully realise their potential and achieve their ambitions.

Representing Hong Kong in Women’s 100m and 200m Backstroke at the Paris Olympics 2024, Cindy Cheung Sum Yuet is the youngest swimmer from Hong Kong to achieve the Olympic Qualifying Time. She has also demonstrated remarkable performance at the Hangzhou Asian Games and the World Aquatics Championships. Cindy will enrol in the Bachelor of Social Sciences programme at HKU this year. Through her studies in psychology, she aims to understand emotional management and stress coping strategies, aspiring to become a more resilient athlete in the future.

Chloe Pak Hoi Man, who holds the record for the 100m Hurdles in both the U18 and U20 categories in Hong Kong, as well as the Hong Kong record for the 4x200m relay, has represented Hong Kong at the Asian U18 and U20 Athletics Championships and the National Student (Youth) Games, where she has achieved outstanding accomplishments. With her exceptional academic and athletic achievements, Chloe has been admitted to the highly competitive Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programme. She acknowledges that balancing her athlete training and her medical studies will be a significant challenge, but she is confident that her self-discipline, resilience, and stress tolerance will enable her to excel in both areas.

Kikabhoy Rafeek, a passionate windsurfer, began his professional full-time athletic journey in 2015. Over the years, he has achieved notable access, including silver medals at the Asian Championships in both 2018 and 2022, as well as at the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018. In addition to his windsurfing prowess, he is also a skilled wing foiler. Eager to transform his passion for windsurfing and wind foiling into a business venture, he is pleased to be admitted to the Bachelor of Business Administration programme and believes the comprehensive education offered at HKU will equip him with both theoretical knowledge and practical experience to realise his entrepreneurial dreams.

Nicole He Jada, a member of the Hong Kong Wushu Team, has proudly represented Hong Kong by winning gold medal and silver medal in the Asian Junior Wushu Championships and the World Junior Wushu Championships respectively. Fuelled by a profound passion in biotechnology, she has chosen HKU for the next step in her academic journey. She is looking forward to engaging in research opportunities within the Faculty of Science, aspiring to develop her own nutritional products specifically tailored for athletes.

Yeung Chi Ka, a member of the Hong Kong Fencing (Foil) Team has won numerous accolades at prestigious competitions, such as the World Fencing Championships, the Asian Fencing Championships, the Asian Games, etc. His remarkable achievements have significantly enhanced Hong Kong’s reputation in the sport area. This year, he has been admitted to the University to pursue a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree. He eagerly anticipates personal growth and the exploration of new opportunities throughout his academic journey at HKU.

Fong Hoi Sun is a seasoned fencer who has honourably represented Hong Kong in numerous international competitions. Last year, he secured third place in both the Asian Games and the Asian Fencing Championships. With over ten years of experience in athletics, he is pleased to be admitted in the Bachelor of Arts programme at HKU to deepen his knowledge of the humanities.  He is confident that HKU can provide the flexibility necessary for him to balance his academic pursuits with his ongoing career as a professional athlete.

Positioned as the third-ranked member of the Hong Kong’s Junior Men’s Sabre Team, Anson Wong Tsz Wun has achieved impressive results in both regionals and national competitions, including the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships and the Junior World Cup. This year, Anson is set to embark on his undergraduate studies in Business Administration at HKU. He aspires to connect with like-minded peers who share his vision and work together to transform the innovative ideas into meaningful societal contributions.

Johannsson Magnus Prostur, the Hong Kong record holder for 200m and 4x200m relay, has represented Hong Kong at the National Student (Youth) Games and the East Asian Youth Games. He perceives both “business” and “athletics” as fields characterized by "high risk, high reward". He is eager to embark on a career in the business sector. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree at HKU this year to prepare himself for new challenges ahead.

The "HKU Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship" was established in 2022 with the support from the Lee Shau Kee Foundation. Each awarded athlete would receive HK$400,000 for their dual-track development of sports and academics. Since the establishment of the "Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship", a total of 20 top athletes have been awarded with the Scholarship, including Coleman Wong (Tennis), Tse Ying Suet (Badminton) and Russell Williams Aylsworth (Sailing).

HKU will support the student-athletes admitted via “Top Athletes Direct Admission Scheme” with personal academic advice, flexible learning arrangements, counselling, and physical training. Each of them will receive the “HKU Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship” or "Non-Academic Scholarship" established by HKU, to support their academic aspirations and international exchange opportunities, as well as sports career development.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Communication and Public Affairs Office, HKU
Melanie Wan (Tel: 2859 2600 / Email: melwkwan@hku.hk)
Jaymee Ng (Tel: 3910 3612 / Email: ngjaymee@hku.hk)
Kenneth Choi (Tel: 3917 2607 / Email: khkchoi@hku.hk)