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The HKSI added a new member to its already impressive list of collaboration partners by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Huize Altitude Training Base (Huize), under the Culture, Sports and Broadcast Bureau of Huize County, Yunnan Province.

This latest MOU, which was signed on 11 May in Huize County, Yunnan, formalises the partnership with Huize and facilitates exchanges between both parties in sharing valuable experiences in sports science, sports medicine, strength and conditioning and facilities management.  Most important is that Hong Kong athletes will benefit from utilising the facilities and the physical environment in Huize to undergo hypoxic training.  Hypoxic training is a non-invasive, drug-free technique aims at improving human aerobic capacity and well-being by way of adaptation to reduced oxygen, which is proven to be very effective in improving the athletes’ physiological condition.

Dr Raymond So, Director of Elite Training Science & Technology of the HKSI, who represented the HKSI in the signing, highly regarded the effectiveness of altitude training in developing athletes’ aerobic physiology.  He said, “Altitude training is important to those sports that require high stamina.  When athletes are training at high altitude, the amount of oxygen in the air is less and they have to work harder to maintain their performance.  After a couple of weeks, their body will notice that it is not receiving its accustomed level of oxygen, thus producing a greater number of red blood cells.  With more oxygen being transported to the bloodstream, the overall aerobic condition of the athletes will improve.”

Mr Tian Yourong, Deputy Director of the Culture, Sports and Broadcast Bureau of Huize County, said, “Huize is an ideal venue for altitude training and it also sets a good platform, especially for endurance sports, for breaking records and we are privileged to be able to provide these resources for Hong Kong athletes to this end.  With the formalisation of this relationship, we hope that we can ride on the expertise and international network of the HKSI to help us develop into a world-class altitude training base.”

Chris Perry, Head Rowing Coach of the HKSI, who led the team to undergo altitude training at Huize before the Incheon Asian Games last year highly praised the environment there.  He said, “The base is very good for rowing because there is a big reservoir suitable for water training in addition to the good land facilities such as a running track, gymnasium and rowing machines which are rarely found in other training bases.  After all, it’s easily accessible from Hong Kong and the local community is very friendly.  I firmly believe the formalisation of relationship can help our teams grow further at world level, enhance our knowledge of altitude training and foster friendship and cooperation.”

The Huize Altitude Training Base is located at Huize County, Yunnan Province, at an altitude ranging from 695 to 4,017 metres.  There is a sports centre inside the training base which includes a stadium with a seating capacity of 21,000 spectators, as well as a 400-metre track and a physical strength training gymnasium.

The signing of the MOU highlights the HKSI’s continuous commitment to provide an environment in which sports talent can be identified, nurtured, and developed to pursue excellence in the international sporting arena and to inspire potential athletes to pursue a full-time sports career, through international exchanges and collaboration with different parties to enhance the elite training and support systems.