Interview with Fok Kaigang, Member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: Sports is a bridge that unites people's hearts

(25th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong) Interview with Fok Kaigang, Member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: Sports is a bridge that unites people's hearts

　　China News Agency, Hong Kong, June 29th: Interview with Fok Kaigang, Member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: Sports is a bridge that unites people's hearts

　　China News Agency reporter Han Xingtong

　　Fok Kaigang, a member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, was still studying in middle school in the United Kingdom in 1997. In that year, he deliberately requested a leave of absence from the school to return to Hong Kong early in order to experience the grand handover of power in Hong Kong.

　　That night, Huo Qigang's grandfather, Huo Yingdong, and his father, Huo Zhenting, were at the scene. Huo Qigang and his grandmother stood in front of the live TV broadcast to witness the historical turning point under the downpour. Apart from the shock, he was also moved.

　　The influence of the family is subtle, and Huo Qigang also followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, and paid special attention to the role of sports in uniting people's hearts and connecting with the world. He also actively organized cross-sectoral exchange activities such as sports.

"My grandfather always said that sports is not only about strengthening the body, he also hopes to use sports to infect others and use sports as a tool to realize some more lofty national ideals."

　　Over the years, Huo Qigang has led the Hong Kong team athletes to participate in the competition many times with the delegation. In 2016, he was the head of the Hong Kong delegation of China, leading the delegation to the Rio Olympic Games.

He was most impressed by the fact that during the 2010 Asian Games (Asian Games), Hong Kong cyclist Huang Yunyao crashed and fell and injured his rib.

"Sometimes the most touching moment is not necessarily the moment of winning the medal, but seeing the perseverance of the athletes and the various preparations behind them."

　　In the past 25 years, the development of sports in Hong Kong can be described as rapid progress. "Whether it is the investment of resources from the SAR government, the enthusiasm of the citizens, or the society's attention to sports, they are all gradually increasing." It is also because of these accumulations that the Hong Kong delegation of China participated in the Tokyo Olympics last year. It has achieved 1 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze historical achievements.

Fok Qigang remembers that when the fencer Zhang Jialang won Hong Kong's first Olympic gold medal since its return to the motherland, the whole of Hong Kong was boiling with excitement, and people gathered in the mall to watch the live broadcast cheered.

　　The "sports fever" soon spread to the people. "The whole people are participating more. I feel that more and more citizens are riding bicycles, running long distances, and participating in cross-sea swimming competitions. There are also young people who have set off a fever for learning fencing." This made Huo Qigang He is optimistic about the future development of sports in Hong Kong, "I believe we can do better in both elite sports and national fitness."

　　In Huo Qigang's view, the achievements of Hong Kong's sports development are inseparable from the support of the state. Since the handover, the sports relations between the two places have become increasingly close. Many Hong Kong athletes have been given the opportunity to go to the Chinese national team for training, while some national team athletes have retired. He will also come to Hong Kong as a coach.

　　Hong Kong gymnast Shi Weixiong once went to the State Sports General Administration to train, "He was only a teenager at the time, and we told him that you were already the best in Hong Kong, and no one can compare with you, but you will be different in Beijing. , surrounded by world champions, there will be a more positive and challenging environment." After several years of training, Shi Weixiong won two gold medals in the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games.

　　At the same time, Huo Qigang also saw the advantages of local sports, which can help the development of national sports in the future, that is, medical rehabilitation and sports science.

He took Li Huishi, a cyclist who won the bronze medal of the Tokyo Olympics, as an example. "She has a huge scientific and technological team behind her, including the design of clothes, helmets, and data analysis." Fok Qigang believes that in this regard, Hong Kong, which has strong scientific research strength, It definitely has an advantage, and can share the results with the country and seek cooperation. "We can go with the country."

　　"In the future social development of Hong Kong, sports games will occupy a large seat and play a role in uniting people's hearts." Huo Qigang mentioned that Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will host the 15th National Games in 2025. With the overall development of the country, "to meet friends with the ball, let Hong Kong and Macao compatriots know more about the Greater Bay Area, and better integrate into and promote the development of the Greater Bay Area." (End)