Corporate News

200-day countdown to Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games held in Penfold Park

21 February 2008

The Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games will commence on 6 September 2008. Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman John C C Chan was among guests of honour at a 200-day countdown ceremony to the Paralympics held today (20 February) in Penfold Park, oneof the training venues for the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events.

Around 400 students from special schools, elite disabled athletes and invited guests attended the countdown ceremony to express their support for the Paralympic Games.

Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Carrie Yau acknowledged the Club's contribution in building equestrian venues and supporting facilities that met the highest international standards. "As a co-host city of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Equestrian Events, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has built one of the best equestrian venues and supporting facilities here in Sha Tin that meet with the highest international standard. With these world-class facilities and the united efforts of all other stakeholders and the community at large, I am confident that Hong Kong will stage a great Olympic and Paralympic Games Equestrian Events and make it a remarkable chapter in the Olympic and Paralympic history," she said.

Chairman of Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, Jenny Fung, praised the Paralympic athletes for showing the true Olympic spirit. Despite their physical restrictions, they did not give up easily and would give their very best in the Paralympic Games, she observed.

Other guests of honour at the 200-day countdown ceremony included President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, The Hon Timothy Fok; Member of the Board of Governors of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Equestrian Events Hong Kong Fund, Victor Hui; and Chief Executive Officer of the Equestrian Company, Lam Woon-kwong. The guests performed a lion eye-dotting ceremony and presented souvenirs to the supporting schools and organisations.

Afterwards the officiating guests and attendees took the opportunity to tour the Equestrian Pavilion set up by the Club in Penfold Park and learned more about the Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events being held in Hong Kong this August and September. The special school students, in particular, enjoyed the chance to try their luck at the equestrian-related games stalls and have their photos taken with the Club's Equestrian Ambassadorsand Shetland ponies.


Photo 1:
Officiating guests join a group photo on stage: (from left to right) Chief Executive Officer of the Equestrian Company, Lam Woon-kwong; Club Chairman John C C Chan; Chairman of the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, Jenny Fung; Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Carrie Yau; President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, The Hon Timothy Fok; and Member of the Board of Governors of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Equestrian Events Hong Kong Fund, Victor Hui.


Photo 2:
Club Chairman John C C Chan and other officiating guests perform the lion eye-dotting ceremony.


Photo 3:
Club Chairman John Chan presents souvenirs to representatives of the Jockey Club Elaine Field School, the Spastics Association of Hong Kong, and the John F Kennedy Centre respectively.


Photo 4:
Elite disabled athletes (from left to right) Kwok Hoi-ying, So Wa-wai and Yue Chui-yee show their support for the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.


Photo 5:
Photo 5 to 6
Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Carrie Yau and Chairman of Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, Jenny Fung speak at the ceremony respectively.


Photo 6


Photo 7:
Photo 7 to 8
Special school students try their luck at equestrian games and take photos with Club Ambassadors to round off a memorable day in Penfold Park


Photo 8

 

 

Other Corporate News