Olympics medal haul highlights opportunities at Sha Tin Sports Institute

Double silver medallist Siobhan Haughey Photo: Jack Spitser

Our city’s Olympic success focuses attention on the Hong Kong Sports Institute. All of our gold, silver and bronze medallists have benefited from the Shatin sports centre either full-time or part-time. When Chief Executive Carrie Lam watched local athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics, she did it at the HKSI. It is the elite sports training centre of Hong Kong. Talented young athletes and ambitious parents should take a close look at the Hong Kong Sports Centre. It pays top tier athletes to train full time and enables them to study for sports training qualifications.

The Hong Kong Sports institute in Sha Tin

The HKSI is on the banks of the Shing Mun River near the Shatin Racecourse. With $700 million provided annually by the Government, the institute offers “top class coaching and training for promising and outstanding athletes”. It takes eight to twelve years usually of full-time systematic training to produce a world champion. Elite training programmes are led by professional coaches in Tier A sports and others. Tier A means young people are trained in Olympics and Asian Games sports: athletics, gymnastics, sailing, tennis, billiards, karate, skating, bowling, equestrian, rowing, squash, triathlon, fencing, rugby, swimming and wushu. Para athletes are also trained and supported ready for the Paralympics or Asian Games in badminton, boccia, table tennis, fencing and swimming.

Gold medallist Cheung Ka Long Photo: Fabrice COFFRINI/AFP

Headed by Dr Trisha Leahy as chief executive, the sports institute takes a scientific approach to its training with a Scientific Conditioning Centre, Sport Biomechanics Centre, Sport Nutrition Centre, Sport Psychology Centre and Sports Medicine Centre.

Map of the facilities at HKSI

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