The Paris Olympics has demonstrated to the world the spirit of sportsmanship and the pursuit of excellence. In line with the Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger”, how can we further assist athletes in performing better and achieving greater breakthroughs?

Charting a new course for Hong Kong’s sports development, PolyU has recently sealed two new partnerships. These initiatives cement PolyU’s role in athlete support and sports technology innovation, promising to elevate both the city’s sporting landscape and athletic performance.

Supporting future champions

Recently, PolyU and the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support emerging athletes from four member associations in handball, baseball, gymnastics and tennis. This collaboration aims to enhance athletes’ performance and reduce injury risks.

Led by Professor Amy Fu, Peter Hung Professor in Pain Management, Associate Head of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, and Associate Director of the Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology (RISports), a team of PolyU staff and students will provide comprehensive support to up-and-coming athletes from four member associations, including pre-season assessments, training support, physiotherapy, and on-site support during competitions.

The initiative is expected to involve around 100 students from PolyU’s Department of Rehabilitation Sciences in its first academic year. Utilising this collaborative model, the team aims to conduct assessments to identify injury-prone areas, observe athletes’ training posture and analyse movements that may lead to injury. Additionally, they will provide physiotherapy for injured athletes and offer on-site support for those competing. This initiative is anticipated to enhance athletes’ performance and bring greater sporting glory to Hong Kong.

For a detailed overview of the comprehensive support offered through this initiative, please watch the Video.

Cultivating talents and accelerating research

In a separate development, PolyU and AquaBloom International Sports Technology Group Limited (ABSG) signed an MoU to establish the “Sports Technology Talent and Industry Development Centre”. This Centre aspires to cultivate top industry talents and accelerate sports research and industry development in the Greater Bay Area through education programmes, academic exchanges, and joint research projects. It will connect PolyU researchers with local sports organisations, forming an expert team to engage in impactful interdisciplinary research and collaborate on projects eligible for local and national funding.

Witnessed by Prof. Christopher Chao (back row, left), Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Dr Rocky Cheng (back row, right), Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, the MoU for the establishment of the Sports Technology Talent and Industry Development Centre was signed by Prof. Ming Zhang (seated, left), Director of RISports, Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chair Professor of Biomechanics of PolyU and Mr Mike Yang (seated, right), Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ABSG.

Leveraging ABSG’s robust networks, the Centre will offer internship and career placements to students enroled in PolyU’s Master of Science programme in Sports Technology and Management, set to launch in 2025. For the industry, it will provide enterprises with professional services including knowledge transfer, investment, business expansion, networking, and technology empowerment, while also functioning as an incubator and accelerator for regional sports industry development. Planned developments include exploring collaborations between PolyU-nurtured enterprises and ABSG’s key innovation projects, aiming to propel talent development, innovation, and knowledge transfer in sports technology.