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To coincide with the National Fitness Day today (August 8), to support the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games and to further promote Sport for All, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) organised ¡§Fitness for All in Support of EAG (East Asian Games)¡¨ between 3pm and 6pm in designated venues throughout the 18 districts to promote sports among the people and to encourage their participation.
¡§Fitness for All in Support of EAG¡¨ provided various free activities for public. Qualified instructors of various sports and professional speakers on sports and medical related issues were stationed at these designated venues to demonstrate sports, offer test services and give talks.
Speaking as officiating guest at the Launching Ceremony of the ¡§Fitness for All in Support of EAG¡¨ that was held at the Western Park Sports Centre today, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, said that the event assumed multiple meanings of supporting the National Fitness Day and gathering momentum for the EAG to be held later this year as well as further promoting community sports.
Mr Tsang said the 5th EAG would be the largest ever with a total of 22 sports. The Western Park Sports Centre and some 10 government venues had undergone renovation works for holding the EAG.
He added that EAG preparatory work had entered the final stage. The Torch Relay would be held on August 29 and would be taken part by representatives from the 18 District Councils. He called on various sectors of the community to join the event by cheering on the torch bearers.
Mr Tsang said that the support from the District Councils was important to the success of the EAG. He hoped that Hong Kong people would actively participate in sport activities so as to strengthen physical health and create a healthy life style.
Among the wide range of activities staged in the venues of the 18 districts for the ¡§Fitness for All in Support of EAG¡¨ was a physical fitness corner that provided tests and advisory services on physical fitness so that participants could learn more about their lung and heart functions, muscle flexibility and body set-up. A fitness fun session was arranged to introduce to participants the gym facilities and let them enjoy the fun of exercising with these facilities. Participants also joined the exercises that teach them on how to improve the flexibility and movement of different parts of their bodies.
There was also EAG exercise for public participation. To pave way for the ¡§Fitness for All in Support of EAG¡¨, a series of free exercise play-in has been organised by the LCSD in designated venues throughout the 18 districts since June 1. With the assistance of the Gymnastics Association of Hong Kong, China, a set of EAG exercise was developed, using the melody of the EAG theme song ¡§You are the Legend¡¨ as background music and incorporating various sports and movement rhythm in gymnastics.
Various districts including Central and Western, Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong, Yuen Long, Kwai Tsing and Sha Tin also organised talks and offered tests on sports and medicine. There were talks on nutrition and tests on elderly health and bone density. The sports and medicine tests organised at the Central and Western District also provided information on sports choice packages tailor-made for elite athletes so as to enable people to understand and experience athletes¡¦ choices of sports which suit them best.
Officiating guests of today¡¦s launching ceremony included the Chairman of the 5th East Asian Games Planning Committee, Mr Timothy Fok; the Chairman of the Community Sports Committee, Mr Chau How-chen; the Chairman of the Central and Western District Council, Mr Chan Tak-chor; the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Leisure Services), Mr Bobby Cheng; the acting District Officer (Central & Western), Mr Tim Yu and the Chairman of Co-ordinating Committee on the Promotion of Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games in the Central & Western District, Mr Chan Chit-kwai..
The ¡§Fitness for All in Support of EAG¡¨ was assisted by the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China; the Gymnastics Association of Hong Kong, China; the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sports Medicine and Health Sciences Centre; and Hong Kong Association of Sports Medicine and Sports Science and supported by the 18 District Councils.
Ends/Saturday, August 8, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:34
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