Page 11 - 香港智障人士體育協會（2017-2018年報）

The Hong Kong Sports Association for Persons with The Association had taken thousands of athletes
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Intellectual Disability celebrated its 40 anniversary in to various parts of the world, the name of countries
2018. too many to list. We have brought back medals and
trophies from regional competitions, international
One year after the Association was founded, I was championships, INAS Global Games and even the
an instructor in the Police Training School. One day, Paralympics.
I was asked to take my class of recruits to assist in
one of the early days athletics event organized by the 40 years ago, the association operated on a very
Association. limited budget. There was only one employee. Now
we have a team of 24 full time staff, all committed
There were at most 3 or 400 athletes, some could to the vision and mission of the association. Two
barely walk. There were no stringent competition rules, years ago, we were even given a Governance Award
no professional coaches, no grand ceremony and not as being one of the best governed National Sports
a lot of resources and therefore I was asked to help. Associations in Hong Kong.
I saw the staff sweating a lot more than the athletes
as they were running around to make the event an All these changes had not come easy. As we
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unforgettable experience for the athletes. I saw a lot of celebrate the 40 anniversary of the Association and
passion and determination. And I saw a lot of love. the enviable success we achieve in recent years, let
us not forget the countless hours my predecessors
Two years later in 1981, I held a different position in and members of previous executive committees have
the Police Training School and was tasked to assist put into the promotion and development of sports for
again. I was so surprised to see the changes that had persons with intellectual disability. Let us not forget the
already taken place. There were a lot more athletes, foresight and determination and love they have for the
a lot more volunteers. There was a ceremony and athletes that make the Association what it is today. On
even the prestigious Police band came to perform. behalf of all the athletes, I salute them all.
However, the staff were still running around sweating
more than the athletes in their attempt to make the We are very happy with the accomplishments and
event even better. There was no discussion about growth we have achieved in the past four decades but
professional training for the athletes, taking part in we are not happy to remain stagnant. My executive
overseas competition was too much a distant dream, committee, my staff and I will continue to exert our
never mind the Paralympics. But still I saw lots of best efforts in providing the best possible environment
passion and determination. And there was also lots of in which our athletes can flourish and shine, their
love. potentials nurtured and their achievements widely
recognized. I want them to be able to prove to the
By coincidence, I became a committee member of community that they too can achieve what other
the Association in 1995 and had since then saw even people can achieve, they too can bring pride to
more changes. Hong Kong and they too deserve public recognition.
That will be a long journey but we will walk with our
40 years ago, some of the athletes were moved athletes.
to tears for merely having the rare opportunity to
compete in athletics. Last year, over 6,000 people
have taken part in more than 40,000 training sessions
organized by the Association.

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