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The “Tokyo Olympic Games Mainland Olympians Delegation — Olympians Exchange with Hong Kong Sports Institute Elite Athletes” took place today, a total of 13 Olympic gold medallists from mainland China shared their joy and glory with about 100 elite and junior athletes of the HKSI, they all had an unforgettable and enjoyable morning at the HKSI.

Dr Lam Tai-fai SBS JP, Chairman of the HKSI, congratulated the Mainland Olympians for winning 38 gold 32 silver 18 bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and also warmly welcomed the visit of 13 Mainland gold medallists and their delegation. He said, “This year marks the 30^th anniversary of the HKSI, it is truly commendable to have the national team to share their joy of the victory with our elite athletes at this important moment.”

“I am very grateful to the Tokyo Olympic Games Mainland Olympians Delegation for taking time to the HKSI after two back-to-back big Games, including the Olympics and the National Games of China, this event offers a rare opportunity to Hong Kong elite athletes to exchange with the Mainland gold medallists and learn from their remarkable experience. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for the strong support from different units in the Mainland over the past years and hope there will be more exchange visits in the future,” Dr Lam added.

A 13 star-studded Mainland Olympians, including table tennis gold medallist Xu Xin, who won 1 gold and 1 silver in the team event and mixed doubles in Tokyo, cyclist Zhong Tianshi who won two golds in both Rio 2016 Olympics and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and three of the women rowing quadruple sculls champions Chen Yunxia, Lyu Yang and Zhang Ling, their efforts behind each gold medal were amazing, and all are role model for junior athletes of the HKSI.

The exchange activities today were very diversified. The most impressed one that the battle between Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Lee Wai-sze from Hong Kong and Zhong Tianshi from the Mainland was their insight instead of their skills on bikes, they had to select athletes for indoor training bike’s competition. Regardless of the result, it turned out to be a win-win situation. Another interesting game was that the 23-year-old Hong Kong rower Chan Chi-fung, who held four world records in Concept 2 Indoor Rower with Slides (Lightweight Men), was one of the athletes representing Hong Kong as a commentator and not just a rower when the Rio Olympic Games Mainland Olympians Delegation visited the HKSI five years ago.

Dr Lam believed that junior athletes had benefited a lot from interacting closely with the Mainland Olympians. The 2025 National Games of China will be co-hosted by Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macau, the HKSI will make every effort to support and provide necessary professional advice to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. Elite athletes of the HKSI will train even harder and keep shining at the Games and other international sports events.