Elite Training
HKSI’s 21st Century Elite Training System
The HKSI’s elite sport system framework combines policy/management and science models to articulate a 21st century elite training delivery system. It is an athlete-centred system bounded by best practice principles of corporate governance on the one hand, and the scientific principles of the biopsychosocial model of athlete development on the other. The biopsychosocial model recognises the interaction of biological, psychological and socio-cultural factors that impact athletes' development.
The HKSI is structured to provide centralised, integrated support systems targeting all aspects of the athletes’ physiological, psychological, social support, and personal development needs. The critical success factors – which are directly related to the systematic development of elite athletes, are portrayed inside the circle; while support activities that are not directly related to individual athletes’ development, but improve the provision and efficient functioning of the elite training system are portrayed outside the circle.
The HKSI is the Government’s designated organisation to provide a world-standard training and support environment for high performance athletes, to enable them to excel in the international sporting arena.
We use a multi-disciplinary biopsychosocial model to formulate our support strategy in order to provide science-based, athlete-centred support for elite training. Sustained funding support also plays a pivotal role in the athletes’ continuing success. Through the Elite Athletes Development Fund, the HKSI has a stable, long-term source of funding, enabling us to provide elite athletes with a financially stable environment, facilitating uninterrupted focus on training and international competition.
Our facilities include an indoor Sports Complex featuring world standard training venues for badminton, billiard sports, fencing, karatedo, squash, table tennis, tenpin bowling and wushu, and integrated sports facilities for athletes with disabilities; an Athletics Field; an international standard indoor Swimming Complex; a Rowing Centre; and Tennis Courts. Off-site facilities are also provided for other Tier A sports to cater to their specific training needs.
In 2017/18, the HKSI provided HK$101.8 million to 1,074 athletes through five Direct Financial Support schemes – Elite Training Grant, Sports Aid Grant, Sports Aid Grant for Athletes with Disabilities, Individual Athletes Support Scheme and the Jockey Club World Championships Performance Scheme, to provide them with a financially stable environment in which to train and compete in Major Games.
ELITE
TRAINING GRANT
SPORTS AID GRANT
SPORTS AID GRANT
FOR ATHLETES
WITH DISABILITIES
INDIVIDUAL
ATHLETES
SUPPORT SCHEME
JOCKEY CLUB
WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIPS
PERFORMANCE
SCHEME
TOTAL
Remarks: recipient lists are at Annex 3, Annex 4 & Annex 5.
Under the Government’s Elite Vote Support Scheme, the achievements of both senior and junior athletes at major international competitions comprise the selection criteria for identifying the high performance sports to be supported by the HKSI for a four-year period. Sports are categorised into three levels: Tier A*, Tier A and Tier B. A review is conducted every two years and is aligned with the Asian Games and the Olympic Games cycles in order to provide stable support for the sports during the four-year support cycle.
In 2017/18, 19 Tier A sports – athletics, badminton, billiard sports, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, karatedo, rowing, rugby sevens, sailing, skating, squash, swimming, table tennis, tennis, tenpin bowling, triathlon, windsurfing and wushu – were supported by the HKSI and provided with funding for elite training, dedicated coaching teams led by a Head Coach, full sports science and sports medicine support, and athlete development programmes. Four of these sports – badminton, cycling, table tennis and windsurfing, whose athletes had consistently performed at the highest level and had the potential to win medals at the Olympics – were selected as Tier A* sports. They receive additional resources required to enhance specific areas of their Olympic preparation programmes up to the year 2020.
Funding and support were also provided to 13 Tier B sports – dance sports, dragon boat, equestrian, golf, judo, karting, lawn bowls, lifesaving, mountaineering, orienteering, roller sports, shuttlecock and taekwondo, to support their elite training programmes.
To enhance support to disability sports, the Government launched a Pilot Scheme for Elite Vote Support System for Disability Sports in December 2017, to provide full-time training options for athletes with disabilities and programme funding support. The scheme covers eight sports that are divided into two categories, Tier A and Tier B, based on past performance and the standards achieved. Tier A includes swimming and table tennis for athletes with intellectual disabilities; and boccia, table tennis and wheelchair fencing for athletes with physical disabilities. Tier B includes badminton, lawn bowls and tenpin bowling for athletes with physical disabilities.
As of 31 March 2018, a total of 44 athletes with disabilities had joined the pilot scheme, 24 of whom were in full-time training.
In the 2017 Policy Address, it was announced that HK$130 million would be earmarked for a five-year development programme to provide additional resources for eight team sports – baseball, basketball, handball, hockey, ice hockey, softball, volleyball and water polo, to formulate and implement training programmes for teams representing Hong Kong, in order to help them improve their performances at the 2022 Asian Games.
Soon after the Policy Address, in October 2017, a briefing was held with the NSAs of the eight sports, to introduce the details of the new initiative. Meetings with individual NSAs were also held, to gain an understanding of their needs and provide technical input to assist their elite training programmes. As of 31 March 2018, applications from 14 teams comprising 216 national squad athletes from the eight NSAs were processed, and a total of HK$3.7 million of programme funding was recorded.
In 2017/18, a total of HK$20.28 million was provided to support Tier A sports for international title events held outside Hong Kong, and their national/junior squad training programmes. The HKSI also provided HK$11.3 million to the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled and the Hong Kong Sports Association for Persons with Intellectual Disability, to support their Elite Training Programme.
In order to provide science-based, athlete-centred support for elite training, the HKSI uses the multi-disciplinary biopsychosocial model to formulate its support strategy. There are six centres in the Elite Training Science & Technology Division: the Scientific Conditioning Centre, Sport Biomechanics & Technology Centre, Sport Nutrition Monitoring Centre, Sport Psychology Centre, Sports Medicine Centre and Sports Information Centre. They work as a team to identify any training issues or concerns, and develop evidence-based solutions with coaches. The support procedures are regularly updated through continuous monitoring, discussion and benchmarking against the latest research data. Each year, the Division works with NSAs to verify and develop potential talent through the talent identification programmes, and organises seminars, lectures and workshops for athletes and coaches, NSAs, local and overseas tertiary and sports institutes, and collaborative partners. It also produces publications to boost education and foster exchanges between the HKSI and other elite sport professionals in applied sports science and medicine.
OVERSEAS
ON-FIELD SUPPORT
PROVIDED TO
ATHLETES
(No. of Staff Days)
CONSULTATIONS /
TREATMENT
SESSIONS PROVIDED
TO ATHLETES
PARTICIPANTS IN
TALENT
IDENTIFICATION
PROGRAMMES