Run With Your Heart 2018 – 香港精英運動員協會

Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association “Active School - Run With Your Heart”

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More than a thousand primary and secondary school students, parents , citizens and elite athletes shed their sweats for charity, celebrating Christmas with a healthy and energetic relay run.

On December 23, 2018 (Sunday) , Mr. Chan Mau-po, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, joined the representatives from community of sports, education, entertainment, several disciplined services and more than 1,300 citizens to participate in the “Active School – Run With Your Heart 2018” at Sha Tin Sports Ground, celebrating the Christmas with a healthy body and mind. Over 170 teams competed in a four-hour long-distance running competition by relay to raise funds for the Elite Athlete Charitable Trust, showing perseverance and love.

Hosted by Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association, fully supported by Hong Kong Jockey Club Charitable Trust and co-organised by the Sha Tin Festival Committee, the “Active School — Run With Your Heart” was launched in 1998 and has been warmly welcomed since re-launching in 2016. It promotes the health benefits of sport through relay runs, while raising funds for the Elite Athletes Charitable Trust and providing education, further education, medical care and other emergency support to individuals and charity groups.

Mr. Victor Hui, Honorary President of the Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association, said at the opening ceremony: “Hong Kong elite athletes are actively participating in social services and are serving the community in different ways by example. The annual “Run With Your Heart” has witnessed their spirit being passed down from generation to generation. Old athletes retire and new athletes take over the baton, but what has remained unchanged is that we keep uniting the strength of athletes to pay back to the society.”

Mr. Raymond Tam Chi-yuen, Executive Director of Corporate Affairs of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said in a speech that it was the third year that the Jockey Club supported “Active School — Run With Your Heart”. He said, “The Jockey Club Charitable Trust has allocated more than HK $20 million in 2016 to support the Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association to continue the launch of the “Active School” project, so that more students can participate in interesting sports activities. It encourages children to be more active and develop good habits of doing sports from an early age, and helps them to develop healthily, physically, mentally and socially. The project has benefited 167 primary schools and over 24,900 primary school students, making the schools a more energetic and positive place.”

“Active School – Run With Your Heart” has set up the primary school group, the secondary school group, the parent-child group (children who are 4 years old or above can team up with parents), sports team group, disciplinary service group, the disabled group and loving group (i.e., an open group), and a number of special awards have been set up, such as the “Most Creative Costume Team”, which encourages runners to be creative and makes the relay run more interesting. In addition to the relay race, there are a variety of charitable fund-raising activities, including Song Request Station, Supermarket, Unicycle and Floor Curling Fun, so that participants can do good things while engaging in different kinds of sports and welcoming the Christmas holidays healthily. This year’s “Active School – Run With Your Heart” is one of the key events of the “2018 Sha Tin Festival”.

Guests at the event included Mr. Tam Chi-yuen, Executive Director of Corporate Affairs of Hong Kong Jockey Club, member of the Legislative Council Mr. Ma Fung-kwok, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Sport Institute Dr. Lam Tai Fai, Honorary President of the Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association Mr. Victor Hui, President of the Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association Mr. Wu King Cheong, Secretary of Education Bureau Mr. Yeung Yun-hung, Sports Commissioner Mr. Yeung Tak Keung，Director of Hong Kong Fire Services Department Mr. Lee Kin Yat, Acting Commissioner of Customs and Excise Department, Mr. Lin Shun Yin, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Ms. Li Mei-sheung, Sha Tin District Officer of Home Affairs Department Ms. Chan Yuen-man, Chairman of the Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association Ms. Chan Lim Chee, Vice President of Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association Ms. Malina Ngai Man-lin, and Honorary Vice President of the Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association Mr. Ng Sau Kei , etc.

Hong Kong elite athletes include Ms.Yip Pui Yin (Badminton), Ms. Zhang Ling (Tennis), Mr. Law Leong Tim (Triathlon), Mr. Cheung Siu Lun (Fencing), Ms. Ma Man Sum (Karate), Ms. Yuen Ka Ying (Wushu), Ms. Lee Ka Man, Ms. Fung ChiWan, Ms. Lee Yuen Yin, Ms. Ng Wing Hei (Rowing), Mr. Chan Ming Tai, Ms. Erica Fong (Athletics), Ms. Chan Ho Ling, Ms. Au Wing Chi, Ms. Ho Tsz Lok , Ms. Liu Tsz Ling, Ms. Tong Tsz Wing, Mr. Lo Cheuk Hin Chris, Ms. Ho Ka Wing, Ms. Li Sum Yin, Mr. Lai Cheuk Nam, Mr. Lam Yat Ting (Squash), Ms. Cheng Tsz Ting (Rugby) and Ms. Lo Ka Ki (Shooting) and Ms. Chiong Ka Kei (former apprentice jockey).

The artists present included Mr. Steven Ma, Mr. Hins Cheung , Ms. Chong Si Man , Mr. Vincent Kuk Tak Chiu, Ms. Tavia Yeung (Wild Man) and Ms. KiKi Lin.