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Squash player Au Wing-chi and tennis player Zhang Ling have been honoured the Hong Kong Sports Institute Outstanding Junior Athlete Awards titles for the first quarter of 2007 following their outstanding performance during the period.

18-year-old Au Wing-chi won a gold medal in the women's individual at the Hoe Hin White Flower Ointment Asian Junior Squash Championships held in February in Hong Kong. The event featured 46 promising players from nine countries/districts including Japan, Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.

This has been the third time Au got the Award. "I am pleased to become a three-time winner of the Award and would like to thank the coaches and teammates who have been helping me over the years," said Au, a recipient for the first quarters of 2004 and 2005, at the presentation.

The young player has been identified to join the sport after participating in the Searching for New Sport Stars Programme in 2001, and first represented Hong Kong to participate in the Asian Junior Championships two years later and won a bronze medal in team's event. In 2005, she paired up with Chan Ho-ling, Chiu Ka-kei and Leung Shin-nga to win a gold medal at the Women's World Junior Team Championships held in Belgium, a historical world junior title for Hong Kong squash.

17-year-old Zhang Ling snatched a gold medal in the women's singles and a silver medal in the women's doubles at the Chief Minister's Cup ITF - Group 1 in Malaysia, and further captured a gold medal in the women's singles at the 18th Mitsubishi-Lancer International Junior Championships - Group 1 held in the Philippines, earning her the first Outstanding Junior Athlete title.

Zhang started to play the sport at nine under the guidance of her parents and has undergone formal training three years later. In 2005, she first represented Hong Kong to take part in the ITF tournament.

"The Awards scheme is an important morale booster to local junior athletes as we know that all our hard work and effort would be recognised. Although there is still a long way to go, I will work harder in future and hopefully I can reach top 30 in the world ranking during my sporting life," she said.

A prize presentation was held today (Friday) where the winners each received a cash prize of HK$2,500, sports gears voucher worth HK$2,500 and a certificate. In addition, five athletes including badminton players Chan Hung-yung and Tse Ying-suet, squash player Chan Ho-ling, as well as triathletes Lo Ching-hin and Hui Wai-sum were each presented a certificate of merit to recognise their outstanding performance.

Presented by the Hong Kong Sports Institute with the support from the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and the Hong Kong Sports Press Association, the Awards scheme aims to recognise the achievement of local junior athletes under the age of 19 on a quarterly basis.