The flag presentation ceremony for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Delegation to the 1st National Student (Youth) Games (NSYG) was held at Ma On Shan Sports Centre, Sha Tin today (October 25).
      
     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Chef de Mission of the Delegation, Mr Kevin Yeung, officiated at the ceremony and presented the HKSAR regional flag to the President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and the Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Delegation, Mr Timothy Fok.
      
     Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Yeung said the Government is committed to promoting the development of sports and vigorously nurturing young athletes by supporting and encouraging them to take part in various major sports events for enhancing their performance level. Hong Kong's young athletes have attained remarkable achievements at various international competitions in recent years, in particular at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou, where many medal winners were young athletes and achieved an encouraging result.
      
     Jointly organised by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, the General Administration of Sport of China and the Communist Youth League of China, the 1st NSYG will be held in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, from November 5 to 15. The NSYG, merged from the National Student Sports Games and the National Youth Games, aims to facilitate interactions and exchanges among young athletes in sports to raise the level of competition and performance of sports, as well as identify potential athletes.
      
     The Delegation will send a total of 720 athletes to take part in the finals of 34 sports of the Games, including the School Category of athletics, swimming, table tennis, badminton, cheerleading, wushu and shuttlecock; and the Open Category of cycling, fencing, triathlon, equestrian, sailing, rowing, judo, handball, taekwondo, athletics, swimming (swimming, diving, artistic swimming, water polo), gymnastics (artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics), golf, football, basketball (basketball and 3-on-3 basketball), volleyball (volleyball and beach volleyball), table tennis, badminton, tennis, sport climbing, breaking, baseball/softball, wushu (taolu), finswimming, modern pentathlon, acrobatic gymnastics and roller sports.

     Also attending the ceremony today were the Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism and Honorary Adviser of the Delegation, Mr Joe Wong; the Permanent Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs and Honorary Adviser of the Delegation, Ms Shirley Lam; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services and Deputy De Mission of the Delegation, Mr Vincent Liu; the Commissioner for Sports and member of the Organising Committee of the Delegation, Mr Sam Wong; and the Chairman of Elite Sports Committee, Mr Cheng King-leung.
      
     For the latest information of Hong Kong athletes participating in the Games and the NSYG, please visit the LCSD's dedicated webpage (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/nsyg/2023/index.html).

Ends/Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Issued at HKT 18:29

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