In Pictures: Hong Kong leader hails Olympians ‘heroes,’ as athletes receive warm welcome on bus parade
Hong Kong Free Press
Chief Executive John Lee has said Hong Kong will “spare no effort” in training local sporting talent, after the city made history at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by bagging two gold and two bronze medals.
A group of Olympic athletes received a warm welcome from the public on Wednesday morning when they rode on an open-top double-decker from the Hong Kong Sports Institute in Sha Tin to Central.
Supporters braved the rain to meet the Hong Kong representatives including fencing champion Vivian Kong and star swimmer Siobhan Haughey, who clinched two bronze medals in Paris last month. They waved the HKSAR flags whilst Kong made heart-shaped hand gestures to the public.
Men’s foil gold medallist Edgar Cheung, who became the first-ever Hongkonger to win a back-to-back Olympic title, did not join Wednesday’s bus parade.
Hong Kong sent a total of 35 athletes to compete in 13 events at the Paris Olympics and made history by coming 37th in the medal table – the territory’s highest-ever ranking. The US was ranked first, followed by China.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Olympic athletes gathered at government headquarters to meet leader Lee and other officials. The chief executive praised the hard work and achievements of the athletes, saying every member of the territory’s team had showcased the “Hong Kong spirit” of determination, resilience and the ability to grow stronger in the face of challenges.
“Each one of you returned with outstanding results that invigorated the citizens of Hong Kong. Each of you are heroes in the hearts of Hong Kong people,” Lee said in Cantonese.
The chief executive went on to thank the coaching and support team, as well as the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI), the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong (SF&OC), China and all national sports associations.
The Hong Kong government will continue to “spare no effort” to train local athletes and push for sports development in the city, including enhancing the planning, development and improvement of sports facilities, Lee said.
He estimated that the 28-hectres Kai Tak Sports Park – featuring a main stadium with capacity for 50,000 spectators – will come into use next year. A new building inside HKSI will also be completed soon, Lee said.
The fervour surrounding last month’s Paris Olympics has rekindled discussion on Hong Kong’s support for athletes, with critics raising concerns that the income professional athletes receive is not enough to sustain a living.
Olympic badminton player Lee Cheuk-yiu said last week that professional athletes should receive a monthly allowance that is comparable to the city’s minimum wage – about HK$16,300 per month – despite the benefits offered by HKSI.
Lee’s remarks came after Edgar Yang, the honorary secretary general of SF&OC, said athletes “do not have too much to spend on” and the monthly allowance given to them should be considered a “perk,” given that medical services and meals are provided by the HKSI.
At present, a full-time athlete of the lowest category receives a monthly allowance of HK$7,130. For a full-time elite athlete who earns a medal in a world championship or at the Olympics, they can earn up to HK$50,000 a month.
Additional reporting: Hans Tse.
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