EdUHK's athletic all-stars dazzle at the 2024 Paris Games!

Nine elite athlete students and graduates from EdUHK represented the Hong Kong team and the China national team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. They competed in six major sporting events: artistic gymnastics, artistic swimming, badminton, cycling, rowing, and table tennis. Seven of the nine elite athletes are either current students or graduates of the Department of Physical and Health Education (HPE).

Doo Hoi-kem and Lee Ho-ching, both students in the Bachelor of Health Education (Honours) programme (BHE), represented Hong Kong in the women’s team table tennis. Hoi-kem also partnered with Wong Chun-ting in the mixed doubles, advancing to the bronze medal match. This marked the best result ever for the Hong Kong table tennis team in the Olympic mixed doubles competition.

Yeung Nga-ting, another BHE student, represented the Hong Kong women’s doubles badminton team. Alongside her teammate Yeung Pui-lam, they faced formidable opponents in the group stages. Despite being first-time Olympians, the Yeungs exhibited remarkable determination and resilience throughout the Games.

Ceci Lee Sze-wing and Vincent Lau Wan-yiu, also studying for the BHE, represented the Hong Kong cycling team. Sze-wing completed the women’s road race, becoming the first female athlete from Hong Kong to participate in both road race and track omnium events at the Olympics. She was one of two flag-bearers for the Hong Kong delegation at the closing ceremony on 11 August. Wan-yiu dedicated himself to thorough pre-race training in preparation for his first Olympic challenge in the men's road race.

Chiu Hin-chun, pursuing a Master of Social Sciences in Sports Coaching and Management (MSocSc(SCM)), competed in the open men’s single sculls rowing event. Despite his lightweight build, the two-time Olympian achieved a ranking of 20th overall in the Paris Games, the best result for himself and a male Hong Kong rower at the Olympics.

BHE graduate Shek Wai-hung, known as the “Prince of the Vault”, competed in the men’s gymnastics vault preliminary despite an unhealed ligament tear, demonstrating his dedication and hard work.

Two other elite athlete students Wang Qianyi and Wang Liuyi, sisters and national team artistic swimmers, won two historic gold medals for Team China in the team acrobatic routine and duet technical routine events. The Wangs are set to begin their Doctor of Education (Chinese) at EdUHK in September.

EdUHK elite athletes are part of the 35-strong Hong Kong delegation at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Team Hong Kong made history again after the Tokyo Olympics by winning two golds in fencing and two bronzes in swimming, totalling four medals at the Games. Hong Kong concluded the Paris Olympics ranked 37th among all participating countries and regions on the medal table, the highest-ranking Hong Kong has ever achieved at the Olympics.

“Our elite athlete students, whether from HPE or other departments of the University, have excelled at the Paris Olympics. Success extends beyond medal counts. Competing at the highest-level of athletic competition is a remarkable achievement, displaying the exceptional talents of these athletes. Their unwavering dedication to sports and exemplary sportsmanship has made them role models for all EdUHK students. I am extremely proud of our elite athlete students, and they should take pride in their accomplishments,” said Dr Andy Tse Choi-yeung, Acting Head of HPE.

As a pioneer of the “Elite Athlete Friendly University”, EdUHK is committed to providing special admissions mechanisms and flexible learning arrangements for elite athletes, supporting them in pursuing dual-track career developments in both sports and academics. EdUHK is also the first UGC-funded university to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hong Kong Sports Institute, offering elite athletes opportunities for university studies and continuing education. Since 2010, EdUHK has admitted nearly 140 elite athletes into various programmes at the University.