Two distinguished personalities of The Hong Polytechnic University (PolyU)’s Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS) have recently been bestowed with special awards by state authorities in recognition of their contributions to the Beijing Olympics.
Dr. Bob Chen, Assistant Professor and Director of the Sports Conditioning and Health Unit of FHSS, received a special individual award from the General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Olympic Committee at the 2008 Beijing Olympics Honouring Ceremony on 6 October at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Prof. George Woo, Dean of FHSS, received the special group award on behalf of FHSS. Dr. Chen and FHSS were the only awardees from outside the Chinese mainland.
FHSS has played a significant role in helping China to top the medal table at the 2008 Olympic Games. Since 2005, Dr. Chen had stationed in Beijing together with his team of four FHSS physiotherapists to provide sports conditioning, training and treatment to Chinese elite athletes including badminton player Zhang Ning, tennis player Zheng Jie, artistic gymnast Li Xiaopeng, and volleyball player Zhao Ruirui.
Dr. Chen expressed gratitude to Chinese authorities and PolyU for giving him the unique opportunity to utilise his skills and knowledge to help China’s national sports squads prepare for the 2008 Olympics. He added that through this valuable experience, he learned how to help large numbers of athletes more systemically and yet still as individuals.
Prof. Woo also paid tribute to staff members and students from FHSS constituent departments and schools who also helped the Chinese athletes, and also to the staff, student and alumni volunteers from the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences who provided professional sports therapy to international athletes during the Games in Beijing’s Olympic Village.
FHSS will be collaborating with the China Winter Sports Federation to help prepare the country’s national sports squads for the forthcoming 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. It also plans to invite retired Chinese athletes to Hong Kong to study a certificate programme in sports-related training to help them enter second careers.
*****
