The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust will donate HK$103 million to the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) to redevelop the old athletes’ hostel into a multi-purpose elite training and coaching centre, which will support development of Paralympic sports, junior elite athletes and coach education, Club Chairman T Brian Stevenson announced today (20 April) at the annual Community Day race meeting held at Sha Tin Racecourse.
The announcement complemented this year’s theme “Sports Development”, which pays special tribute to the city’s sports associations, local athletes and their coaches who so aptly demonstrate Hong Kong's can-do spirit. Mr Stevenson noted that the Club had been heavily involved in supporting sports and recreational development across all types of sport throughout Hong Kong since the early 1950s.
“The Club’s interest in sport goes way beyond our mainstay horse racing,” Mr Stevenson observed. “We are always keen to help Hong Kong compete on the world stage in other sports. A great example of this was the Club’s involvement in the 1970s in the establishment of the HKSI on land reclaimed for this racecourse, with the aim of developing the potential of our elite athletes. With this newly-approved redevelopment project, the Jockey Club’s total support for the HKSI since 1977 amounts to nearly HK$700 million, including a HK$350 million endowment fund set up in 1986.”
“I would like to thank the Jockey Club for their excellent support to the HKSI over the past 30 years,” HKSI Chairman Carlson Tong said. “The Club has left an indelible legacy footprint on the HKSI site and we are therefore delighted to have the Club's offer to support the setting up of a multi-purpose elite training and coaching centre at the HKSI. This project is an addition to the Government's investment in the Redevelopment Project of the HKSI, and will provide a centre of excellence benefitting Hong Kong athletes' elite training and coaches development."
The new elite training and coaching centre for the HKSI will provide a dedicated training area for elite athletes with disabilities, especially for wheelchair fencing and boccia, and will become the home for junior talent development programmes, where young athletes will be assessed and selected for further development to start their pathway to sports excellence. It will also house Elite Sports coaching departments, providing dedicated education seminar facilities for the training and development of local coaches of all sports.
Over the past sixty years, the Jockey Club has contributed some HK$7.5 billion in total to promote sports development and to enhance the quality of life of Hong Kong people through recreational projects. They include the construction of public swimming pools and sports grounds, the Hong Kong Stadium, Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course, public riding schools and the 2008 Olympic equestrian venues, as well as supporting numerous local sports projects. Since 2011, the Jockey Club has supported the Hong Kong Games and will support it again this year as the Principal Contributor.
The highlight of today's race meeting was the staging of the Community Trophy, which was won by Mr Gnocchi, ridden by Z Purton. Member of the Legislative Council Ma Fung-kwok presented the trophy to Owner Dr & Mrs Gene Tsoi.
The Club initiated the annual Community Day race meeting in 2005 as a way of honouring its successful partnerships with NGOs, Government agencies, academic institutions and other groups in building a better Hong Kong. This followed the generous donation of a silver racing trophy, over 150 years old, by Member Tobias Brown, in recognition of the Club's long-standing support for the community. It has since been renamed The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Trophy.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is not only one of the world's leading horse racing organisations but also a world top 15 charitable organisation and Hong Kong’s largest community contributor, donating HK$1.7 billion in 2012. It is also a major taxpayer, Hong Kong's single largest by far, generating over HK$16 billion a year for public funds. The Club pioneers technology applications for sporting and betting entertainment, striving for the highest levels of customer service. As a membership club, it is recognised as one of Asia’s most prestigious, with more than 23,000 members. These multifaceted roles make it a well-respected and remarkable organisation, dedicated to its mission of enhancing the quality of life for all Hong Kong people.
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Club Chairman T Brian Stevenson says the Trust will donate HK$103 million to the HKSI to convert the old athletesa£á? hostel in a multi-purpose elite training and coaching centre, which will support development of Paralympic sports, junior elite athletes and coach education.
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Club Chairman T Brian Stevenson (centre); HKSI Chairman Carlson Tong (4th left); the Cluba£á?s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (3rd left); Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of HK, China, Hon Secretary General Pang Chung (4th right); Member of the Legislative Council Ma Fung-kwok (3rd right); Equal Opportunities Commission Chairman Dr York Chow (2nd left); HK Paralympic Committee and Sports Association for the Physically Disabled Chairman Jenny Fung (1st left); Bronze medallist of the World Championships 2008 Tang Peng (2nd right) and 7-gold medallist of the Paralympics Yu Chui-yee (1st right).
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Club Chairman T Brian Stevenson (front row, centre); Club Deputy Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip (back row, 3rd left); Stewards Dr Christopher Cheng Wai Chee (back row, 4th left); Philip N L Chen (back row, 4th right); Stephen Ip Shu Kwan (back row, 3rd right); Dr Rita Fan Hsu Lai Tai (back row, 2nd right); Martin C K Liao (back row, 1st right); HKSI Chairman Carlson Tong (front row, 5th left); the Cluba£á?s Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (front row, 4th left); Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of HK, China, Hon Secretary General Pang Chung (front row, 5th right); Member of the Legislative Council Ma Fung-kwok (front row, 4th right); Equal Opportunities Commission Chairman Dr York Chow (front row, 3rd left); HK Paralympic Committee and Sports Association for the Physically Disabled Chairman Jenny Fung (front row, 2nd left); Hong Kong Representative of London 2012 Olympics and bronze medallist of the 2008 World Championships Tang Peng (front row, 2nd right); 7-gold medallist of the Paralympics Yu Chui-yee (front row, 1st right); Honorary President of the 4th HK Games Ip Kwok-him (front row, 1st left); Permanent Secretary for Education Cherry Tse (front row, 3rd right); Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of HK, China, Vice-President Vivien Lau (back row, 2nd left) and Donor of the Community Trophy Tobias Brown (back row, 1st left) toast the success of the Community Day.
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Club Chairman T Brian Stevenson (back row, 1st left); Hong Kong Sports Institute Chairman Carlson Tong (back row, 2nd left) and Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Sports Institute Limited Dr Trisha Leahy (back row, 1st right) with elite athletes including Mr Tang Peng (back row, centre), Ms Yu Chui-yee (back row, 3rd right), Ms Rosanna Sze (back row, 2nd right), Ms Annie Au (front row, left), Ms Wong Ka-man (back row, 3rd left), Ms Karen Kwok (front row, centre) and Leung Shu-hang (front row, right).
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Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of HK, China, Hon Secretary General Pang Chung (right) presents the Best Turned Out Horse award to the winning stables assistant of Fiery Raider.
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Member of the Legislative Council Ma Fung-kwok (front row, 3rd left) presents The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Trophy to Dr & Mrs Gene Tsoi, owner of the winning horse Mr Gnocchi.
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Club Chairman T Brian Stevenson (4th right); Stewards Dr Christopher Cheng Wai Chee (2nd right); Dr Eric Li (4th left); Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (1st left); Convenor of the Executive Council Lam Woon-kwong (centre); The University of Hong Kong Council Chairman Dr Leong Che-hung (3rd right); Honorary President of the 4th HK Games Ip Kwok-him (3rd left); Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China Hon Secretary General Mr Pang Chung (1st right) and Hong Kong Sports Institute Chairman Carlson Tong (2nd left).
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Club Deputy Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip (right), Donor of the Community Trophy Tobias Brown and his wife.
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Club Stewards Philip N L Chen (back row, 2nd right), Stephen Ip Shu Kwan (back row, 1st left); The Chinese University of Hong Kong Pro-Vice-Chancellor / Vice-President Professor Fok Tai-fai (back row, 1st right); Hong Kong Physically Handicapped and Able-Bodied Association Chairman Professor Frederick Ho (back row, 2nd left); Hong Kong Council of Social Service Chief Executive Christine Fang (front row, 1st left); The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Executive Director Dr Rosanna Wong Yick-ming (front row, 2nd left); The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Director Professor Walter, Adrian, AM (front row, 2nd right); and Mother's Choice Board Director Ms Phyllis Marwah (front row, 1st right).
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Club Steward Dr Rita Fan Hsu Lai Tai (centre) with Wan Chai Sports Federation Chairman Mrs Peggy Lam (right) and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China Hon Deputy Secretary General Professor Leung Mee Lee (left).
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Club Steward Martin C K Liao (left) and Sports Commission Member Mr Chau How-chen (right).
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