Private sponsors 'can take Games haul to next level'
Elite Sports Committee chairman Cheng King-leung has hailed the success of the Hong Kong, China contingent at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and called for for greater private‑sector sponsorship support from local corporations and major firms. The team wrapped up its campaign by ending up ninth on the medals table with 11 golds, 19 silvers and 24 bronzes for Hong Kong's best-ever performance in…
Cheng King-leung, chairman of the Elite Sports Committee, praised Hong Kong's performance at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where the city secured an impressive ninth-place finish with 11 gold, 19 silver and 24 bronze medals - its best-ever tally in Asian Games history. Speaking on RTHK's Backchat programme, Cheng noted that Hong Kong's accomplishments surpassed initial expectations.
He highlighted specific successes, such as tennis player Coleman Wong's gold medal win, which also secured Wong's spot on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic team.
Cheng emphasized that sustained progress in Hong Kong's sports scene hinges on bolstered support from private sector sponsors among local corporations and major firms. While acknowledging the Hong Kong SAR government's years of investment in the city's athletes, Cheng stressed the urgent need for more commercial sponsorships in the near future.
He pointed to Thailand's success as an example after implementing a government-led corporate sponsorship program that yielded six additional gold medals compared to the previous Hangzhou Asian Games.
Cheng further suggested that Hong Kong's recent achievements could inspire more young people to pursue elite sports careers, provided that pathways to employment after sports and continued sponsorship support remained robust. He also applauded the government's plans to invest in 26 sports development projects, including the revitalization of Victoria Park.
Written by urgent.news from RTHK English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Private sponsors 'can take Games haul to next level' news.rthk.hk
