PolyU pledges to support sports development with R&D in sports sciences and academic programmes for athletes, as National Team Olympians visit the campus

Six National Team Olympians who participated in the Tokyo 2020 Games visited The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today and appeared in a meet-and-greet session with students, alumni, staff and members of the public. The Olympic gold medallists included MA Long, the first five-time gold medallist in table tennis; rower CUI Xiaotong; weightlifter LU Xiaojun; swimming coach WANG Aimin; fencer SUN Yiwen; and SU Bingtian, an Asian record holder and the first Chinese sprinter who has qualified for a men’s 100-metre final in the Olympic Games.

Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU, extended his warm welcome to the delegation. He said he was proud of the exertion and achievements of both Mainland and Hong Kong athletes at the Tokyo Games. He further said that the athletes are role models who have promoted a sense of belonging to the country among Hong Kong’s youth.

Dr Lam also encouraged the National Team athletes to study at PolyU. “I invite elite athletes and gold medallists of the National Team to consider studying at PolyU after their retirement. We would fully support all of your expenses,” he said.

Dr Lam added, “Hong Kong is honoured to host the 15th National Games in 2025 together with Guangdong province and Macau. By leveraging our leadership in sports sciences and sports physiotherapy, PolyU will strengthen its teaching and learning as well as R&D in these areas, and nurture more outstanding athletes so as to further contribute to sports development.”

PolyU launched the Outstanding Sportsmen Recommendation Scheme in 1998 and since then, the University has admitted more than 1,000 elite athletes to various full-time programmes. PolyU has also partnered with the Hong Kong Sports Institute since 2017, providing flexible tertiary study for the city’s elite athletes.

Speaking at the National Olympians event, Mr Caspar TSUI, Secretary for Home Affairs, said, “PolyU has been very supportive to athletes in pursuit of their dreams. By enabling elite athletes to receive tertiary education while they are still committed to full-time training, PolyU helps athletes tremendously in developing their full potential and paving their future career options.”

At the meet-and-greet session, the Olympians shared their inspiring journeys of exertion, willpower and tenacity as well as their patriotism with an audience of about 800 people. For instance, Su Bingtian shared his admiration of the spirit embodied by Hong Kong’s retired Paralympic track gold medallist So Wa-wai. He also invited PolyU students to visit and study at his alma mater, Jinan University in Guangzhou.

The Olympians’ meet-and-greet was co-organized by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), General Administration of Sport of China, and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR. Ms YANG Ning, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Sport of China; Mr ZHANG Zhihua, Director of the Department of Youth Affairs of the Liaison Office; Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU; and Dr Katherine NGAN NG Yu-ying, University Court Chairman of PolyU, also attended the event.

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