“Competition is about winning against your opponent. Graduation is about winning for yourself.”
PolyU has always urged its students to strive to excel, and this dedication is perfectly embodied in alumna Annie Au, Hong Kong’s highest ranked professional female squash player.
Squash is more than just a game for Annie. She has dedicated her life to the sport. Today, she is the highest ranked squash player in Hong Kong, an Asian Games gold medallist and the first athlete in the history of squash in Hong Kong to receive the WISPA “Young Player of the Year” award from the World Squash Federation.
In 2012, she reached an all-time career high, ranking sixth in the world.
Many would be content with these achievements, but Annie is different. “The world number one is always my goal,” she said with determination.
Although Annie doesn’t have much free time, this is a small price to pay for a career that has broadened her horizons and given her self-confidence. She’s now able to withstand pressure and overcome challenges both on and off the squash court.
One of these challenges was successfully completing her degree at PolyU while competing as a professional athlete!
Annie joined PolyU’s Faculty of Business in 2008 and graduated in 2014. As a professional athlete and full-time student, she had a hard time juggling the two demanding roles. Annie is grateful to PolyU for giving her the support and flexibility she needed to train and compete while undertaking her Management and Marketing studies. She was even allowed to extend her final-year study so that she had ample time to complete the programme. She was more nervous about attending her graduation ceremony than any competition, as she’d dreamed of completing a degree since childhood – long before her squash career began!
In the years to come, Annie will continue pushing herself to excel, in perfect alignment with the spirit of her alma mater.
The above is an English translation of a story abridged from the Chinese book “Heartening Stories” published by PolyU in 2017.
Photo credit: PolyU Communications and Public Affairs Office
