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The Acting Chief Executive, Mr Henry Tang, today (April 26) presented the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) flag to the Hong Kong delegation to the 4th All-China Games, sending his support and best wishes to the Hong Kong athletes.
Held once every four years, the All-China Games is a national non-Olympic multi-sports event. Comparable to the National Games, it gathers top athletes from all over the country with the aim of promoting sports events among the general public. The Games this year will be held from May 16 to 26 in Hefei city, Anhui province. There will be 34 competition events.
This is the first time that the HKSAR government has formally organised a delegation to take part in the Games. The HKSAR delegation, comprising 92 athletes and 32 staff members, will take part in 19 sports events.
At today's flag presentation ceremony held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mr Tang, in his capacity as the Honorary Chef de Mission of the delegation, presented the HKSAR flag to the Secretary for Home Affairs and the Chef de Mission of the delegation, Mr Tsang Tak-sing.
Other officiating guests at the ceremony included the Deputy Chef de Mission and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the delegation, Mr Timothy Fok; and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services and Deputy Chef de Mission and Vice-chairman of the Organising Committee of the delegation, Mrs Betty Fung.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Tsang said he hoped Hong Kong athletes' standards would be enhanced through participating in the Games and sharing their experience with Mainland athletes. To some of the athletes, the Games also provides a training platform to enable them to better prepare for the Asian Games to be held at the end of this year.
Mr Tsang also said he hoped that the people of Hong Kong would keep cheering for the Hong Kong athletes to encourage them to strive for the best, and to achieve remarkable results for Hong Kong.
In a speech at the ceremony, Mr Fok said the 4th All-China Games would highlight participation, exchanges and physical fitness with a view to holding a non-Olympic sports event of the highest level.
The 19 sports of the 4th All-China Games that Hong Kong athletes will take part in are: aeromodel, billiards, body building, bowling, bridge, Chinese chess, dancesport, go, golf, health qigong, life saving, lion dance, marine modelling, orienteering, rock climbing, roller sports, shuttlecock, squash and water skiing.
Ends/Monday, April 26, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:18
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