News

Organised by the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI), the Sports for Hope Foundation (SFHF) Outstanding Junior Athlete Awards (OJAA) presentation ceremony for the 2^nd quarter of 2012 is held today at the HKSI to give tributes to five junior athletes who have trained hard for excellent performance in the past quarter.

Officiating guests were Dr Trisha Leahy, Chief Executive of the HKSI; Mr Kwok Tsz-lung, Honorary Secretary of the Hong Kong Sports Press Association (HKSPA); and Miss Marie-Christine Lee, Founder of the Sports for Hope Foundation.  In addition, retired athlete Chiang Wai-hung and Ms Yu Kam-kai, Coach and Athlete Development Director of the Hong Kong Table Tennis Association were also invited as special guests in support of the junior athletes.

The five awardees in this quarter are Lui Lai-yiu (athletics), Ho Ka-po and Ho Tze-lok (squash), Chiu Chung-hei and Doo Hoi-kem (table tennis).

Squash player Ho Ka-po earns her sixth Awards by winning a silver medal in the girls’ under 19 event at the 19^th Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships 2012 in Iran, while her teammate Ho Tze-lok is also awarded for the second time by winning a gold medal in the girls’ under 17 event at the same competition. Both girls are very excited to be named the Outstanding Junior Athletes again which is a recognition to their efforts.  Ka-po said, “Thanks to my coach who has been providing me valuable opportunities to participate in overseas competitions and his untiring guidance throughout the years.”  Tze-lok echoed Ka-po’s view and added, “I would also like to thank my parents, the HKSI and the SFHF who has a passion to support young athletes.”  Ka-po and Tze-lok have just finished the HEAD Hong Kong Junior Squash Open and have won a gold and a bronze medal respectively in the girls under 19 event.  Both of them target to compete in the coming Asian and World Junior Squash Championships.  

With her excellent results attained in this quarter, table tennis player Doo Hoi-kem shared the stage with Ka-po for being honoured the outstanding junior athlete for the sixth time.  Her achievements included 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal won in the junior girls’ doubles, singles and team events respectively at 2012 Spanish Junior & Cadet Open.  Doo is thrilled to learn that athletes born in 1996 will also be eligible for participating in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), so she has set her sight on it.  “To prepare for YOG, I am prepared to increase the training intensity and don’t mind having training even on Sundays,” Doo said.

Doo’s teammate Chiu Chung-hei earned the same Award by winning 2 silver medals in the junior boys’ singles and team events at the same competition held in Spain.  Chiu is very happy to receive the Award again as this is a great recognition to his sport career and encourages him to go further.  Chiu is preparing for moving up to senior category soon.  “I have to enhance my skills and strengths as well as my mental readiness as the competition in the senior category is keener than the junior category and all the players are more experienced than me,” he said.

Lui Lai-yiu (athletics) was also awarded Certificate of Merit for her breaking-record result in the women’s 4x400m relay at the 15^th Asian Junior Athletics Championships 2012.   Other athletes who received the Certificate of Merits include Ng Yan-yin (gymnastics), Tang Tsz-hau (rowing), Yeung Pak-long (tennis), Chan Long-ching and Tang Ho-fai (triathlon).

The SFHF Outstanding Junior Athlete Awards is organised by the HKSI and sponsored by SFHF, with support from the SF&OC and the HKSPA.  They recognise the achievements of outstanding local junior athletes under the age of 19 on a quarterly basis.  Each recipient is presented with a cash prize of HK$2,500, a voucher worth HK$2,500 and a certificate.

Awardees’ Achievements in the 2^nd Quarter of 2012 (PDF)