HKBU enrols six elite athletes through the Talented Athletes Direct Admission Scheme

Tuesday, 16 August 2022

 

Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has enrolled six elite Hong Kong athletes through the Talented Athletes Direct Admission Scheme (TADAS) launched earlier this year.

The six athletes are Olympic gold medallist fencer Cheung Ka-long, rugby player Forrest Shanna Sanman, table tennis player Kwan Man-ho, swimmer Kwok Chun-hei, Wushu athlete Lau Chi-lung, and track sprinter Shak Kam-ching. All of them are current athletes supported by the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Please refer to the Appendix for a brief introduction to the sporting achievements of the six athletes.

The athletes have been admitted to the Physical Education and Recreation Management programme offered by the Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health at HKBU.

HKBU is dedicated to providing full support to Hong Kong athletes and the city’s development of sport. Over the years, the University has been conducting sport science research, and it offers comprehensive and diversified sport science and management programmes to nurture sporting talent in Hong Kong. The University established the Elite Athletes Admission Scheme (EAAS) in 2016 to offer flexible study arrangements for full-time athletes in Hong Kong.

Professor Alexander Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, said: “HKBU is committed to promoting the development of sport in Hong Kong. We launched TADAS this year to provide student-athletes with more comprehensive and personalised learning support. I am thrilled that the six athletes will join HKBU through the Scheme. I sincerely hope that our student athletes will continue to perform outstandingly in their respective sports, and at the same time, pursue their studies and have an enjoyable and fruitful time on the HKBU campus in the years to come.”

TADAS applicants should have recognised sporting achievements and rankings; have a nomination from sport institutions, such as the Hong Kong Sports Institute or other sport associations; or be retired athletes of HKSAR sports teams who have achieved outstanding results in regional and international sporting events. The selection criteria include evidence of the athlete’s sporting achievements and rankings, their interview performance, reference letters from coaches or schools, and a self-statement stating their personal interests, future study plans and commitment.

Dr Albert Chau, Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) of HKBU, said: “HKBU enrols students with different talents through a variety of admissions channels, with the aim of nurturing a diversified and inclusive campus and learning environment. Students can pursue admission to the University through different schemes, including TADAS.

“HKBU will support successful TADAS entrants with personalised mentorship, academic counselling, psychological nourishment and career planning, as well as flexible study arrangements to facilitate their training and competition schedules. They are allowed to extend their study period so that they can pursue their academic studies and the development of their sporting careers at the same time.”

HKBU launched TADAS pursuant to the introduction of the Student-Athlete Learning Support and Admission Scheme (SALSA Scheme) by the University Grants Committee (UGC) in February 2022. SALSA offers more resources to universities so that they can provide student-athletes with more comprehensive and personalised learning support to help them pursue their sporting careers and academic studies at the same time.

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Appendix

Introduction to the sporting achievements of the

six athletes enrolled at HKBU through TADAS in 2022/23

Cheung Ka-long

  • Hong Kong foil fencer
  • Gold medal in the Men’s Foil Individual, 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games
  • Gold medals in the Individual Men’s Foil, Asian Fencing Championship in 2016 and 2022
  • Gold medal in the Men’s Individual Foil at the International Fencing Federation World Cup in 2022

Forrest Shanna Sanman

  • Hong Kong rugby player
  • Came 3rd in the 2021 Monaco Sevens Tournament, Olympic Repechage
  • Champion in the 2019 MBP J-KRS Ladies Sevens Tournament

Kwan Man-ho

  • Hong Kong table tennis player
  • Men’s Singles champion in the 2020 Hong Kong Table Tennis Championship
  • 1st runner-up in the Men’s Doubles in the 2019 ITTF Challenge Indonesia Open

Kwok Chun-hei

  • Hong Kong swimmer
  • Winner of the 200m Butterfly in the 54th Milo/Pram Malaysia Invitational Age Group Swimming Championship in 2018
  • 1st runner-up of the 4x100m Medley in the 10th Asian Age Group Championships in 2019

Lau Chi-lung

  • Hong Kong Wushu athlete
  • Gold medal in the Wushu Men’s Nanquan in the 2019 Chungju World Martial Arts Masterships
  • 1st runner-up in the Men’s Nanquan in the 15th World Wushu Championships

Shak Kam-ching    

  • Hong Kong track sprinter
  • Ranked 1st in the Hong Kong Men’s 200m
  • Ranked 3rd in the Hong Kong Men’s 100m
  • Broke the Hong Kong junior record in the 4x100m & 4x200m Relay in the 2nd All China Youth National Games (U20) in 2019