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In celebration of Hong Kong athletes’ best-ever performance at the 15^th National Games, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and the HKSI organised the 15^th National Games Hong Kong Medallists Raceday, with the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme Presentation Ceremony taking centre stage to honour the medallists with over HK$11.47 million in cash incentives.

Officiating guests at the Ceremony included Mr Chan Kwok-ki GBS IDSM JP, Chief Secretary for Administration; Miss Law Shuk-pui, Rosanna JP, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism; Hon Liao Cheung-kong, Martin GBM GBS JP, Chairman of the HKJC; Hon Fok Chun-ting, Timothy GBM GBS JP, President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China; Mr Tang King-shing GBS PDSM, Chairman of the HKSI; and Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges GBS JP, Chief Executive Officer of the HKJC. The event brought together athletes, coaches, the sports community and the public to celebrate this significant milestone.

Hong Kong athletes achieved a record-breaking performance at the 15^th National Games, clinching a total of 9 gold, 2 silver and 8 bronze medals, setting new highs for both gold medals and overall tally. Historic titles included first golds in fencing, rugby sevens, sailing and swimming. Cash incentives were awarded to 37 medallists from seven sports for their exceptional efforts.

Mr Tang King-shing expressed profound pride in the historic achievements of Hong Kong athletes at the Games, “Their resilience, determination and fighting spirit have been truly inspiring. The HKSI extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Government, the HKJC and the wider sports community for their steadfast support. We look forward to continuing this collective effort to empower our athletes as they pursue even greater success on the world stage.”

Hon Martin Liao commended the team, saying, “I was deeply inspired by the commitment, determination and resilience displayed by our athletes as they competed at the nation’s highest level. To recognise their remarkable success, the Club is rewarding Hong Kong medallists at the 15^th National Games under the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, encouraging them to continue striving for excellence.” He added that the 15^th National Games, the first to be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, marked a milestone in Hong Kong’s sports development. The HKJC has long been dedicated to advancing sports development at all levels and will continue to work closely with the HKSAR Government and the wider community to build on this success.

Cyclist Lee Sze-wing successfully defended her title in the women’s individual road race, bringing home three gold medals and earning HK$2.25 million in cash incentives. Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “That disappointing performance at the Paris Olympics weighed heavily on me, but my coaches and teammates never stopped believing. Honestly, I had to push hard to regain confidence. Their trust pulled me through, and I couldn’t have finished with golds without them. I am grateful for the support from the Government and the community, and I sincere thank the HKSI and the HKJC for their backing through the Scheme.”

Swimmer Siobhan Haughey claimed two gold medals in her signature freestyle events and added two bronzes in back-to-back finals, receiving a total of HK$1.8 million in cash incentives. She remarked, “It’s an incredible honour to stand on the podium at my first National Games alongside my coaches. Coming back from a back injury, this feels like a strong start. It was a joy to race with our younger swimmers, and I look forward to seeing more breakthroughs from the team.”

Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme

Established by the HKSI in 1994, the Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme offers cash incentives to outstanding local athletes competing at Major Games, recognising their dedication and achievements.

In 2023, the HKJC once again supported the HKSI and jointly launched the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme for a three-year term. The Scheme provides financial incentives to acknowledge the exceptional achievements of local athletes competing at the Olympic Games, Olympic Winter Games, Paralympic Games, Paralympic Winter Games, World University Games, Winter World University Games, Asian Games, Asian Winter Games, Asian Para Games, National Games, National Winter Games and National Games for Persons with Disabilities.