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The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, today (June 8) congratulated the HKSAR delegation to the 4th All-China Games for their achievements at the games. The delegation won 97 trophies, comprising 13 first-class, 43 second-class and 41 third-class trophies.
To congratulate the Hong Kong athletes for achieving remarkable results in the games, a welcome home ceremony for the HKSAR delegation to the 4th All-China Games was held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui this evening.
It was the first time that the HKSAR Government had formally organised a delegation to take part in the games. The delegation, comprising 92 athletes and 32 staff members, participated in 19 sports events and garnered a total of 97 trophies.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Tsang said that by taking part in the games, Hong Kong people's understanding of the Mainland's sports development had been enhanced, which would help promote sport for all and develop a greater variety of sport activities in Hong Kong. Mr Tsang is also the Chef de Mission of the HKSAR delegation to the games.
"The All- China Games, with its emphasis on exchanges, physical fitness and enjoyment, inspired us a lot in our bid to promote sports," he said.
"Sports should be developed at different levels. The community needs the excitement and encouragement offered by elite sports as well as the joy and happiness offered by sport for all."
He said he believed that the Hong Kong athletes were able to raise their standards through exchange and sharing with Mainland athletes at the games. Some of them could also make use of the chance to better prepare themselves for the Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou at the end of this year.
Mr Tsang, together with the two vice-chairmen of the organising committee of the HKSAR delegation to the games, Mr Victor Hui and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mrs Betty Fung, presented commendation certificates to Hong Kong athletes who won trophies at the games.
The Hong Kong delegation won 13 first-class trophies in bowling, golf, life saving and squash. Another 43 second-class plus 41 third-class trophies were obtained in these four events and others including body building, marine modelling, orienteering, rock climbing, roller sports, water skiing, billiards, Chinese chess, aeromodel, dancesport, health qigong, lion dance and shuttlecock (see Annex).
Held once every four years, the All-China Games is a national multi-sports event for non-Olympic sports. Comparable to the National Games, it gathers top athletes from all over the country with the aim of promoting sport for all among the general public. The games this year were held in Hefei, Anhui Province, between May 16 and 26, offering 34 competition events.
Ends/Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:18
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