196 Outstanding Sports Coaches Recognized at 2024 Jockey Club Hong Kong Coaching Awards

Organised by the Hong Kong Coaching Committee (HKCC) and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the 2024 Jockey Club Hong Kong Coaching Awards Presentation Ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) today, recognising coaches who made outstanding contributions to the development of sports at the elite, community and school levels in 2024.

Mr Lau Chun, Raistlin JP, Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism (12th from left); Mr Robbie McRobbie, Executive Manager for Charities (Sports) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (11th from right); Mr Edmond Hung Chor-ying, Chairman of the Hong Kong Coaching Committee (10th from right), with Mr Tang King-shing GBS PDSM, Chairman of the HKSI (11th from the left) and guests congratulated the recipients of the Coach of the Year Awards.

The Coach of the Year Awards were presented to (from left) fencing coach Zheng Kang-zhao, boccia coach Kwok Hart-wing, wushu coach Zheng Tianhui, wheelchair fencing coach Wong Kam-kau, and in absentia, Para badminton (physical disability) coach Chan Yan-kit, table tennis coaches Meng Xianjian and Zhang Rui.

A total of 249 nominations were received this year and 196 coaches were recognised across seven award categories including Coach of the Year Awards, Distinguished Services Award for Coaching, Coach Education Award, Best Team Sport Coach Award, Coaching Excellence Awards, Community Coach Recognition Awards and School Coach Recognition Awards.

The winners or representatives of the Coach of the Year Awards received their honours on stage.

The winners or representatives of the Coach of the Year Awards received their honours on stage.

Mr Lau Chun, Raistlin JP, Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr Tang King-shing GBS PDSM, Chairman of the HKSI; Mr Robbie McRobbie, Executive Manager for Charities (Sports) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and Mr Edmond Hung Chor-ying, Chairman of the HKCC; along with distinguished guests presented the awards at the Ceremony.

The winners or representatives of the Coach of the Year Awards received their honours on stage.

The winners or representatives of the Coach of the Year Awards received their honours on stage.

Mr Edmond Hung Chor-ying expressed appreciation to coaches in his welcoming speech, saying, “In 2024, Hong Kong athletes achieved remarkable accomplishments at the Olympics, Paralympics, and various international competitions. None of these achievements could have been possible without the efforts of coaches. Besides, many coaches have actively trained new talents in the community and schools, establishing a solid foundation for the athlete development system and the sports development in Hong Kong.” He also extended gratitude to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for the unwavering support to the HKCC to facilitate the improvement of coaches’ quality and the development of local sports.

The winners or representatives of the Coach of the Year Awards received their honours on stage.

The winners or representatives of the Coach of the Year Awards received their honours on stage.

The Coach of the Year Awards (COY) have always been the highlight of the Presentation Ceremony. Boccia coach Kwok Hart-wing and fencing coach Zheng Kang-zhao were awarded in the senior athletes - individual sport category; Para badminton (physical disability) coach Chan Yan-kit and table tennis coach Zhang Rui were honoured in the senior athletes - team event category; wheelchair fencing coach Wong Kam-kau and wushu coach Zheng Tianhui received the award in the junior athletes - individual sport category; while table tennis coach Meng Xianjian took the award in the junior athletes - team event category. Four out of the seven coaches received the COY titles for the first time, demonstrating the rapid development of Hong Kong sport industry.

The winners or representatives of the Coach of the Year Awards received their honours on stage.

Gymnastics coach Dr Chan Kam-hung (middle) received the Coach Education Award from Mr Edmond Hung Chor-ying, Chairman of the Hong Kong Coaching Committee(right), and Mr Wong Po-kee MH, Chairman of the 2024 Awards Judging Panel (left).

Boccia coach Kwok Hart-wing has been awarded the COY for the sixth time. In 2024, he led the Hong Kong boccia team to secure 8 gold, 4 silver, and 4 bronze across three World Boccia Cups, then went on to achieve the best-ever performance at the Paris Paralympic Games, winning 3 gold and 2 silver. Fencing coach Zheng Kang-zhao won the COY for the seventh time, having previously been awarded six times in wheelchair fencing. Coach Zheng has consistently emphasised systematic training for athletes. Under his leadership, Cheung Ka-long and Kong Man-wai competed in the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they won 2 gold, making history for the Hong Kong’s fencing scene. 

Rugby sevens coach Jevon Groves (middle) received the Best Team Sport CoachAward from Mr Chew Fook-aun, Vice-Chairman of the HKSI (left), and Mrs Jenny Fung Ma Kit-han SBS JP, President of the China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee (right).

Billiard sports coach Alan Wong (middle) received the Distinguished Services Award for Coaching from Mr Chew Fook-aun, Vice-Chairman of the HKSI (left), and Mr Edgar Yang Joe-tsi PDSM, Honorary Secretary General of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (right).

Para badminton (physical disability) coach Chan Yan-kit was awarded the COY for the first time. Under his coaching, the Para badminton team maintained a steady performance throughout the year, winning multiple medals in international competitions, including a silver medal in the men’s doubles SH6 by Chu Man-kai and Wong Chun-yim at the World Championships. Table tennis coach Zhang Rui earned the COY title for the second time. In 2024, she led athletes Doo Hoi-kem, Lam Yee-lok, Lee Ho-ching, Ng Wing-lam, and Zhu Chengzhu to semi-finals of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships, capturing a bronze medal and qualifying for the Paris Olympics.

Coaches received Coaching Excellence Awards from Ms Eliza Chang Lai-shan (6th from right, 1st row) and Ms Candy Nip Kai-yan (4th from left, 1st row), Board of Directors of the HKSI.

Wheelchair fencing Coach Wong Kam-kau received the COY for the first time. Under his guidance, young athletes have shown continuous improvement. Notably, junior fencer Sean Glass won 1 silver and 1 bronze at the 2024 World Championships U17/U23, and added another silver at the Asian Championships. Wushu Coach Zheng Tianhui also claimed the COY title for the first time, she led the junior athletes to achieve outstanding results at the 9th World Junior Wushu Championships, contributing 2 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze. 

Para table tennis (intellectual disability) coach Lam Chi-pang (middle) received the Distinguished Services Award for Coaching from Mr Chew Fook-aun, Vice-Chairman of the HKSI (left), and Mr Edgar Yang Joe-tsi PDSM, Honorary Secretary General of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (right).

Table tennis coach Meng Xianjian led Mak Ming-shum, Su Tsz-tung, Yuen Sum-lok and Zhang Jiayu to secure bronze in the U15 girls’ team event at the ITTF World Youth Championships 2024. This impressive achievement has earned Coach Meng the COY for the first time.

Full-time teachers received the School Coach Recognition Awards from Mr Franklin Yu (6th from left, 1st row) and Ms Annie Wong Hing-yee (5th from right, 1st row), Members of the Hong Kong Coaching Committee.

The Distinguished Services Award for Coaching was presented to billiard sports coach Alan Wong and Para table tennis (intellectual disability) coach Lam Chi-pang, in recognition of their longstanding contributions over the years. Since 2011, coach Wong has led players like Ng On-yee and Cheung Ka-wai to compete in numerous international competitions, achieving remarkable results; Coach Lam, who began coaching Para table tennis since 1993, has nurtured Paralympic medallists including Lai Wai-ling, Ng Mui-wui and Wong Ting-ting.

Coaches received the Community Coach Recognition Awards from Mr Raymond Hau Wing-man, Member of the Hong Kong Coaching Committee (7th from right, 1st row) and Mr Jacko Kwok Tsz-lung, Member of the 2024 Awards Judging Panel (6th from left, 1st row).

Gymnastics coach Dr Chan Kam-hung was honoured with the Coach Education Award. Serving as the Coaching Director for the Gymnastics Association of Hong Kong, China for over 20 years, Dr Chan has been responsible for managing the coaching team and overseeing courses and training programmes. He also took the initiative to compile instructional book, providing coaches with comprehensive knowledge, skills, and management concepts. His exceptional contributions have greatly advanced coach training and the development of gymnastics in Hong Kong.

Wushu athletes Tsang Cho-kiu, Wang King-ham, Chung Cheuk-yin, Ho Ching-hin, Lai Yat-hei and Lee Tin-lok demonstrated at the Presentation Ceremony.

The Best Team Sport Coach Award was received by rugby sevens coach Jevon Groves. He has been coaching the team since 2016. His leadership guided the men’s team to victory at the Asian Rugby Sevens Series last year and securing a spot in the Sevens Challenger 2025.

The Coach of the Year Awards were unveiled by young performers in the form of Cantonese opera.

A total of 127 coaches were honoured with Coaching Excellence Awards for leading athletes or sports teams to achieve outstanding results at international competitions in 2024, while 36 coaches received the Community Coach Recognition Awards in recognition of their contributions to the community. In addition, 31 full-time teachers were presented with the School Coach Recognition Awards, acknowledging their efforts at school level.

The grand final of the ninth CoolThink@JC Competition, which encourages primary school students to leverage digital creativity to solve everyday problems, was held today (5 July) at City University of Hong Kong. The team from King’s College Old Boys’ Association Primary School No.2 emerged as the champion in the “App Inventor” category, while the winner of the “Scratch” category was the team from St Mary’s Canossian School.

Tony Wong, Commissioner for Digital Policy at the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government (front row, centre), Winnie Ying, Head of Charities (Youth Development & Poverty Alleviation; and Talent & Sector Development) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (front row, 3rd left) and other guests at the CoolThink@JC Competition grand final.

Organised by CoolThink@JC, a project initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, this year’s competition attracted more than 120 team entries, with 40 teams advancing to the finals. Among them, eight outstanding teams progressed to the grand final to compete for top honours. Today, the shortlisted teams set up booths to present their app designs and ideas to the public and a judging panel comprising professionals from the education, information technology and business sectors.

Winnie Ying, Head of Charities (Youth Development & Poverty Alleviation; and Talent & Sector Development) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (1st right) presents the award for the “Scratch” category to the winning team from St Mary’s Canossian School.

Presenting awards at the grand final were Tony Wong, Commissioner for Digital Policy of the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government; and Winnie Ying, Head of Charities (Youth Development & Poverty Alleviation; and Talent & Sector Development) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Tony Wong, Commissioner for Digital Policy at the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government (1st right) presents the award for the “App Inventor” category to the winning team from King’s College Old Boys’ Association Primary School No.2.

Speaking at the grand final, Winnie Ying said it was a great honour to witness the innovative ideas presented at the ninth edition of the CoolThink@JC Competition. The event stands as a testament to the Club’s collective efforts in fostering computational thinking and creativity among Hong Kong’s upper primary school students, she added. Since its launch in 2016, CoolThink@JC has reached over 100,000 students and trained more than 2,000 teachers.

Group photo.

Together with other Trust-funded STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education projects, the Club aims to equip students with essential skills required for a 21st-century workforce. It seeks to enhance digital competency among youngsters, aligning with the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Policy Address to promote digital education.

Beyond the competition, students will have the opportunity to participate in exchange activities with Mainland schools this summer through the project’s sister school partnerships. This is aimed at fostering collaboration in computational thinking and artificial intelligence education between the Mainland and Hong Kong, promoting cultural understanding and innovative ideas. Last month, a Memorandum of Understanding titled “CoolThink@JC × Cambodia Sharing and Exchange Programme” was signed with Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, which plans to adopt and adapt the CoolThink@JC curriculum in Cambodian primary schools. This partnership aims to ensure equitable access to quality computational thinking education, nurturing future-ready talent in both Hong Kong and Cambodia.

The shortlisted teams of the CoolThink@JC Competition at their booths, presenting their app designs and ideas to the public.

CoolThink@JC is created and funded by the Club’s Charities Trust, co-created by The Education University of Hong Kong, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and City University of Hong Kong. Launched in 2016, the project aims to empower upper primary students with problem solving and creative skills for the digital age, enabling them to become creators of technology. It has garnered three prestigious international accolades, including the Silver Award in the Engineering & Technology category and the Bronze Award in the Teaching & Learning category at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2021, as well as an international accreditation from the International Society for Technology in Education—attesting to its significant impact and excellence. It has also reached all publicly-funded primary schools in Hong Kong in 2024. The Education Bureau has adopted and adapted the project’s learning materials for its curriculum modules on innovation and technology education. For more details, please visit: http://www.coolthink.hk/.

The Club’s support for CoolThink@JC, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.