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The Secretary for Home Affairs, Dr Patrick Ho, today (December 15) said he was proud of the record achievements of the Hong Kong delegation in the Asian Games in Doha, winning a total of 28 medals - six gold, 12 silver and 10 bronze. He thanked the delegation for the efforts they made in preparing for the Games.
Dr Ho said, "I am thrilled at the excellent results of our athletes in the Asian Games. Their excellent performance has fully demonstrated their determination to do their best and has won the acclaim of the whole community."
Dr Ho said that apart from the athletes' personal fortitude, the outstanding results were also attributable to the National Sports Associations (NSAs), the Hong Kong Sports Institute and the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, which had spent many years nurturing the elite athletes.
"To make the most of the opportunities of staging the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events and hosting the East Asian Games in 2009, we will increase our investment in sports to promote sports development in Hong Kong in accordance with our three main directions - Sports for All, Elite Athletes and Major Sporting Events.
"On the provision of better sports venues, we will redevelop the Hong Kong Sports Institute to provide our elite athletes with modern training facilities, enabling our growing elite sports teams to achieve even better results in international sports events. We also plan to construct a multi-purpose stadium complex in South East Kowloon and an indoor velodrome in Tseung Kwan O. The velodrome will be equipped with a cycling track of international standard, which will provide our elite athletes with ideal training facilities. We will seek funding for the velodrome next year and aim to complete the project by 2012," he said.
The proposed velodrome project will feature a 250-metre cycling track and 3,000-seat spectator stand. The space at the track centre can also cater for a wide range of sports, performances and exhibitions.
"On funding allocation, there will be additional funding of $40 million annually from 2007/08 to formulate a more systematic and comprehensive support scheme for elite athletes, which will in turn encourage young people with the potential to take up a career in sports. We also wish to raise the public's recognition and interest which are important to the development of elite sports.
"With the setting up of a 'Core Sponsor Group' this year under the 'M' Mark Scheme, we promote collaboration between commercial organisations and NSAs to provide additional financial support in hosting major sports events."
To sustain Hong Kong's elite sports development, the Government would strengthen its support for elite athletes in key areas, including educational opportunities, career development, financial assistance and coaching support in order to increase Hong Kong's competitiveness in the international sports arena and to attract more young talent to take up a career in sports, he said.
Ends/Friday, December 15, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:04
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