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Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr C Y Leung, at the Welcome Home Reception for Hong Kong, China Delegation to the 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 today (October 15):
Mr Timothy Fok, Mr Karl Kwok, athletes, coaches, distinguished guests, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon.
This morning I made an effort to find time to inspect the site in Kai Tak where the new sports complex is being built. This will be the largest sports facility in Hong Kong ever. The construction cost is estimated, and this is an early estimate, to be around at least $20 billion, and this is just the construction cost. And if you divide 7 million into 20 billion, even I can come up with a figure of at least three to four thousand dollars for every man, woman and child in Hong Kong, and it signifies a huge undertaking on the part of my Government to support the sports sector in Hong Kong.
Now, $20 billion doesn't count land costs, and we know how valuable, precious, that land is in Hong Kong. And, I have to be honest with you, at one stage the Government did consider the possibility of not building the sports complex on this site and using the site instead for housing units, which are very much in short supply.
It is a great pleasure for me to be here today at the welcome home reception for the Asian Games delegation.
My congratulations - warm and heartfelt congratulations - to our athletes on their impressive performance at the Incheon Asian Games. You came home with 42 medals - Hong Kong's biggest medal haul to date at the Games. So, congratulations.
It is encouraging to see our athletes' dedication being rewarded, and at the highest levels in Asia. The success of our athletes at the 2014 Asian Games is a testament to their talent and commitment. It also reflects the high level of support they received. That support was community-wide. It came from the Hong Kong Sports Institute; the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China; the individual sports associations; and, of course, fellow athletes, families and friends.
This year's Asian Games was particularly notable for breakthrough results in gymnastics and rowing, where Shek Wai-hung and Lok Kwan-hoi, respectively, won historic first gold medals for Hong Kong. Our athletes also captured gold medals in windsurfing, where Hayley Chan and Cheng Kwok-fai dominated their competitors, and in cycling. In that, Sarah Lee showed great resolve and discipline, beating strong competition to win gold in both the keirin and the sprint events.
Our silver and bronze medallists at Incheon are too numerous to mention here. But let me say that all of you - all of you, all of our Hong Kong athletes at the Games - inspired us with your extraordinary skills, your commitment and your indomitable spirit.
I am confident that you will continue to achieve excellent results in international competitions - that you will continue to showcase Hong Kong's strengths as athletes, as people, and as a community.
Thank you.
Ends/Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Issued at HKT 20:27
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