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The annual celebration and 4^th quarter 2012 presentation ceremony of the Sports for Hope Foundation Outstanding Junior Athlete Awards (OJAA) was held at the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) today. As a wrap-up of the 2012 sporting performance, four young athletes were presented with the coveted annual awards, namely the Most Outstanding Junior Athlete and the Most Promising Junior Athlete. In addition, 11 junior athletes were named winners of the 4^th quarter awards.

Lee Chun-hei and Ng Ka-long (badminton) and Chan Cheuk-lam (wushu) were named the Most Outstanding Junior Athletes in 2012, while Doo Hoi-kem (table tennis) the Most Promising Junior Athlete in 2012. The Hong Kong Table Tennis Association was elected as the Most Supportive National Sports Association. The winners of the 4^th quarter awards included Lee Chun-hei and Ng Ka-long (badminton), Chu Ka-mong and Ho Cheuk-suen (fencing), Ng Chun-nam (swimming), Doo Hoi-kem, Lam Yee-lok, Li Ching-wan and Soo Wai-yam (table tennis), Ip Cheng (tennis), and Ng Mui-wui (table tennis, Hong Kong Sports Association for the Mentally Handicapped).

Officiating at the ceremony were Mr Tang Kwai-nang BBS JP, Vice-Chairman of the HKSI; Mr Tony Yue MH JP, Vice-President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC); Mr Patrick Li, Executive Committee Member of the Hong Kong Sports Press Association (HKSPA); and Miss Marie-Christine Lee, Founder of the Sports for Hope Foundation. Badminton player Poon Lok-yan and fencer Yeung Chui-ling were also present as special guests to share their experience with the up-and-coming juniors.

During the ceremony, Mr Tang Kwai-nang encouraged the junior athletes to seek continuous improvements. “In the 14 years since its inception in 1999, the OJAA has recognised a lot of rising sports stars, and many of them went on to become top athletes or even coaches.” he said. “So I hope that all of you can work hard while you are young, and concentrate on your training. One day you will be among the elites.” He also acknowledged the Sports for Hope Foundation for sponsoring the OJAA from 2012, and the support of the SF&OC and the HKSPA over the years.

Badminton duo Lee Chun-hei and Ng Ka-long, both six-time winners of the quarterly awards, made history by winning the first-ever gold medal for Hong Kong in the boys’ doubles at the BWF World Junior Championships 2012 held from October to November 2012. With this brilliant performance, they were named the Most Outstanding Junior Athletes in 2012. Lee was thrilled to earn such honour. “There are many amazing junior athletes in Hong Kong,” he said. “It is an honour just to be elected as an outstanding junior athlete, and even more so to win the annual award with my partner Ng Ka-long.” Ng echoed that the annual award served as a form of recognition for their efforts over the past year. He thanked the HKSI and their coaches for the support and encouragement.

Wushu athlete Chan Cheuk-lam, who earned the OJAA title of the 3^rd quarter, was named the Most Outstanding Junior Athlete in 2012 with her outstanding performance at the 4^th World Junior Wushu Championships. “I want to thank my coaches, therapists, parents and teammates for their encouragement and support, which took my sporting achievements and personal development to another level even during difficult times.” She added that she wanted to be a role model for the younger athletes and encourage them to work harder and bring more honour for Hong Kong.

The junior women’s table tennis team, comprising Doo Hoi-kem, Lam Yee-lok, Li Ching-wan and Soo Wai-yam, won a bronze medal in the junior girls’ team event at the Volkswagen 2012 World Junior Table Tennis Championships in December 2012, which earned them the 4^th quarter awards. They thanked the Sports for Hope Foundation for its generous support for junior athletes. Doo, a seventh-time winner of the OJAA award, was also named the Most Promising Junior Athlete in 2012. She said that it was most unforgettable to be able to finish in the top three in the world junior championships again. “We had a difficult draw in the group round and had to face the Korea team,” she recalled. “During the competition, we got into a mindset that there was nothing to lose, and we were pleasantly surprised by the good results.”

Fencers Chu Ka-mong and Ho Cheuk-suen, both a first-time OJAA winner, produced impressive results in the 4^th quarter, bringing home a gold medal in the women’s epee individual (cadet) and a silver in the women’s epee individual (junior) respectively at the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships. They also bagged 2 gold medals with other teammates in both the cadet and junior categories of the women’s epee team events. Ho recalled the first match of the junior team event against Korea, where they rallied from behind to win the match by displaying a high level of teamwork and perseverance. “Through our concerted efforts, we managed to turn it around. It just shows how important teamwork is in a competition.”

Another first-time winner was swimmer Ng Chun-nam, who won a bronze medal in the men’s 4x100 medley relay at the 9^th Asian Swimming Championships. The young swimmer has already set big goals for himself, including qualifying for the world championships this year and getting well prepared for the Olympic Games in 2016. Tennis player Ip Cheng, who won a silver in the girls’ singles at the 2012 Seogwipo Asian/Oceania Closed International Junior Tennis Championships (Grade B1), said the award made her want to improve further and become a better tennis player. “I will do more intensive training to improve my fitness. My goal is to break into the top 300 in the WTA ranking,” she said. Table tennis athlete with intellectual disabilities Ng Mui-wui claimed the OJAA title for the first time by winning 2 gold and 1 silver medal in the women’s singles, doubles and team events at the INAS 2012 Open European Table Tennis Championships.

Organised by the HKSI and sponsored by the Sports for Hope Foundation from 2012, with support from the SF&OC and the HKSPA, the OJAA recognises the achievements of outstanding local junior athletes under the age of 19 on a quarterly basis. Each recipient is presented with a cash prize of HK$2,500, a voucher worth HK$2,500 and a certificate.

Awardees' Achievements in the 4^th Quarter (PDF)