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The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will send its strongest ever delegation to take part in the 7th National Intercity Games (7th NIG) to be held in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, in mid-October.
The 7th NIG will be held from October 16 to 25. This is the fourth NIG that the HKSAR has taken part in since its first participation in 1999. The 320-strong delegation, consisting of 271 athletes and 103 accompanying officials and medical staff, will take part in 18 final-round events of the Games. Both the size of the HKSAR Delegation and the number of sporting events being participated in are the largest ever.
The 18 sports in which Hong Kong will compete are swimming, archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing, fencing, gymnastics, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, wushu taolu, cycling, women's handball, windsurfing and volleyball. Among these, it is the first time for Hong Kong athletes to participate in women's handball, basketball, boxing and archery at the NIG.
To mark the occasion, the Organising Committee of the HKSAR Delegation to the 7th NIG staged a flag presentation ceremony for the delegation at the Hong Kong Park Sports Centre this evening (September 20).
Before the flag presentation, a Hong Kong badminton athlete for the 7th NIG, Mr Ng Ka-long, carried the 7th NIG torch into the venue. The Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr Timothy Fok, accompanied by Mr Ng, then received the flag of the HKSAR Delegation presented by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, symbolising that the Hong Kong athletes are ready for the Games and will strive for the best results.
Giving an address at the ceremony, Mr Tsang said he hoped that the young athletes of Hong Kong could make use of this opportunity for exchange with Mainland counterparts so as to get prepared for the coming international competitions.
He praised Hong Kong athletes for their performance in recent years, adding that they had achieved continuous progress. The Hong Kong delegation made a breakthrough by winning an excellent result at the Universiade held in Shenzhen in August this year. He said he believed that Hong Kong athletes would continue to excel in the 7th NIG, demonstrate good sportsmanship and earn glory for Hong Kong.
Also attending today's ceremony were the Vice Chairman of the Organising Committee of the HKSAR Delegation and Chairman of the Executive Committee under the Organising Committee of the HKSAR Delegation, Professor Frank Fu, and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services and Vice Chairman of the Organising Committee of the HKSAR Delegation, Mrs Betty Fung.
Held once every four years, the NIG aims to promote sports development in cities all over the Mainland and to identify young sports talents. The participating athletes are mostly below the age of 21. More than 13,000 athletes from 57 cities will compete in 25 sporting events in the 7th NIG.
Detailed information on the HKSAR Delegation to the 7th NIG is available at its dedicated website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/specials/nigame_2011/en/index.php.
Ends/Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:06
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