Champions in mind and body: new athlete ambassadors shine

To recognise athletes who excel both academically and in sports, EdUHK has appointed Bachelor of Health Education (BHE) (Honours) graduates Ms Doo Hoi-kem and Mr Chan Yan-kit as “Elite Athlete Friendly University” Ambassadors. An appointment ceremony, chaired by EdUHK President Professor John Lee Chi-kin, was held in November 2025 during the 2025 Graduation Ceremonies, where the pair, together with other elite athletes, were conferred the degrees they had worked hard to earn.

Ms Doo Hoi-kem, a representative of the Hong Kong, China Table Tennis Team, won bronze in the Women’s Team event at the 2020 Olympic Games. Mr Sean Chan Yan-kit, Head Coach of the Hong Kong, China Para Badminton Team, led his team to win a silver medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games. He has also received the Medal of Honour from the HKSAR Government and has been named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons. Both ambassadors expressed gratitude for the appointment and for EdUHK’s support of their studies and personal development.

Doo Hoi-kem, who left mainstream schooling at the age of 15 to become a full-time professional athlete, thanked EdUHK for giving her the opportunity to pursue academic studies again. “HPE teachers worked hard to meet the needs of elite athletes. The BHE programme arranged Zoom lectures when I was out of town for training and competitions. It provided flexibility in attending lessons, joining group projects, submitting assignments, and even taking tests and examinations. To ensure students stayed on track, supplementary classes were arranged whenever we fell behind schedule,” she said appreciatively.

Hoi-kem is pleased that what she learnt from the BHE programme exceeded her expectations. “Through the mindfulness course in the programme, I developed skills to relieve pressure, and the Chinese medicine classes taught me how to maintain a healthy balance between Yin and Yang. University studies were eye-opening. They encouraged me to think about problems from new perspectives, which is especially valuable in table tennis—a sport that requires not only physical skill but also strategy. I never regret spending six years completing the BHE programme. It was a rewarding period of my life,” she said.

Driven by a childhood dream of Olympic glory, Chan Yan-kit devoted 14 years to professional badminton, reaching a career-high world ranking of ninth in men’s singles in 2009. The former member of the Hong Kong, China Badminton Team retired in 2016 to take up coaching roles and enrolled in the BHE programme in 2021 as a mature student. He said, “Returning to campus after retirement, I hoped to enhance myself through continued education. EdUHK’s support allowed me to balance my coaching duties with my studies, while contributing to the development of sports in Hong Kong.”

“When representing Hong Kong in men’s singles badminton events, I only needed to focus on my training routines and performance. The BHE programme sharpened my social skills and enabled me to work effectively with different types of people. This learning has been invaluable in my role as Head Coach of the Hong Kong, China Para Badminton Team, which requires constant communication with players, coaches, and organisers,” he added.

In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Hong Kong’s sports development, Chan Yan-kit was named one of the 2025 Ten Outstanding Young Persons by the Junior Chamber International Hong Kong, China (JCI Hong Kong, China) in October, and has awarded the Medal of Honour by the HKSAR Government in July 2025. Doo Hoi-kem was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons in 2022.

Since the 2022/23 academic year, EdUHK has implemented the Nomination Scheme for Elite Athletes (NSEA) to provide student athletes with a platform that allows them to be full-time athletes while continuing their academic pursuits. While it is a university-level initiative, the scheme is managed by the Department of Health and Physical Education (HPE). Elite student athletes enrolled through this scheme enjoy additional flexibility and support to meet their learning needs. Including Doo Hoi-kem and Chan Yan-kit, 23 elite athletes from HPE completed their studies at EdUHK in the 2024/25 academic year.

“Elite athlete students are admitted for a dual academic and sporting career pathway. This means they need to balance academic learning with intense training and competition schedules. Being able to complete their studies under such challenges deserves my heartfelt appreciation. Sports have become an increasingly vital part of people’s lives. The newly appointed ambassadors—with the resilience and determination demonstrated during their EdUHK studies—will help advance the development of sports education in the city,” said Professor Li Wai-keung, Dean of FLASS.

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