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The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mrs Betty Fung, today (October 16) led members of the Organising Committee (OC) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Delegation to the 7th National Intercity Games (7th NIG) in their visit to Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. They attended the opening ceremony of the 7th NIG and cheered for the Hong Kong athletes taking part in the Games.
The HKSAR is sending a total of 217 Hong Kong athletes to compete in the 18 final-round events of the Games - 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.
Mrs Fung said that the young athletes of Hong Kong could make use of this opportunity to get to know and exchange experience with their Mainland counterparts so as to get prepared for the coming international competitions. She wished them the best in achieving remarkable results in the 7th NIG.
After arrival at Nanchang, Mrs Fung took part in the 7th NIG delegation heads meeting and attended the opening ceremony of the Games at the Nanchang International Sports Center Stadium in the evening. She will attend the wushu taolu and tennis competitions participated by the Hong Kong athletes.
The Vice Chairman of the OC of the HKSAR Delegation and Chairman of the Executive Committee under the OC, Professor Frank Fu; OC member Mr William Tong; and the Secretary-General of the OC, Mr Pang Chung, also arrived in Nanchang to show their support for the Hong Kong athletes. They were joined by the Acting Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Leisure Services), Miss Olivia Chan.
Held once every four years, the NIG aims to promote sports development among cities in the Mainland and to identify young sporting 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.
In the 6th NIG held in Wuhan, Hubei Province, in 2007, the Hong Kong delegation won one gold medal in cycling.
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/Sunday, October 16, 2011
Issued at HKT 20:56
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