The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club), as the sole Partner Sponsor of the Hong Kong Competition Region of this year’s National Games, today (24 November) announced cash incentives to support HKSAR athletes competing in the upcoming 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities.
The flag presentation ceremony for the HKSAR delegation to the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NGD & NSOG) was held at Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre today. Attending guests included: HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Sun Shang-wu; HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law; China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee President Jenny Fung; President of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China Timothy Fok; and Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Lester Huang.
The upcoming NGD & NSOG will cover 46 sports, including the NGD & NSOG The Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy Wheelchair Fencing Competition and the NGD & NSOG The Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy Para Table Tennis (T11) Competition, which will be held in Hong Kong. To encourage HKSAR athletes, the Club will, for the first time, provide cash incentives under the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme (JCAIAS) in all medal categories of the NGD, with individual and team gold medallists receiving HK$187,500 and HK$375,000 respectively (See table below for details).
Lester Huang expressed his wholehearted support for the city’s para athletes, encouraging them to follow the inspiring example of HKSAR athletes at the 15th National Games. “The Hong Kong team has written a new and glorious chapter in our city’s sporting history with a total of 19 medals, including nine golds, two silvers and eight bronzes. The Club has long promoted sport at community and elite levels, enabling people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to participate. We therefore wish every HKSAR athlete the very best of luck at the upcoming 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games.”
The three-year JCAIAS was launched in 2023. Under the scheme, the Club sponsors the Hong Kong Sports Institute to provide cash awards to Hong Kong, China athletes who excel in major sporting events. These include the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games, World University Games, National Games together with their respective Winter Games and the National Games for Persons with Disabilities.
In support of the National Games, the Club has committed over HK$500 million to the Hong Kong and Guangdong Competition Regions. In the Hong Kong Competition Region, it is supporting volunteer service programmes, territory-wide community and school promotional activities, as well as initiatives to help underprivileged groups and young people attend the events as spectators. Some 100 members from the Club’s Volunteer Team are helping out as Group Volunteers in the Hong Kong Competition Region.
In the Guangdong Competition Region, the Club is providing high-quality technical support for the equestrian events in Shenzhen, leveraging its extensive experience in organising horse sports competitions. To help ensure the equestrian events are conducted to a high standard, the Club is also deploying an expert team and loaning specialist equipment. Additionally, the Club will support the Guangdong Competition Region’s official activities, volunteer services and promotion work.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), in collaboration with five non-governmental organisations (NGOs), launched the Jockey Club SafeMove Fall Management Programme today. Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for 45 months, the Programme is Hong Kong’s first fall-management initiative to combine judo-based safe landing techniques with the biomechanics of falling. It is expected to benefit around 17,000 older adults in the community aged 60 or above, helping those at moderate to high risk of falling to acquire safe landing and self-protection skills to reduce injuries.
Officiating guests at the launch ceremony of the “Jockey Club SafeMove Fall Management Programme” were Mr Ho Kai-ming, Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, the Government of the HKSAR(centre); Ms Pauline Chu, Chief Manager (Community Service Network) of the Primary Healthcare Commission(2nd from right); Dr Laura Lo, Associate Vice President (Institutional Advancement)of PolyU (3rd from right); Ms Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Health & Older Adults Cluster) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club(3rd from left); Prof. Marco Pang, Head of RS(2nd from left); Prof. Amy Fu, Associate Head of RS(1st from right); and the the “Jockey Club SafeMove Fall Management Programme” Ambassador Mr Shek Sau(1st from left). Photo source: PolyU
According to statistics from the Department of Health, some 16% of older adults in Hong Kong experience at least one fall per year, with approximately one in 10 resulting in fractures. Falls can significantly affect mobility and have a long-term impact on older adults’ physical and mental well-being and quality of life. By identifying those most at risk of falling and managing those risks effectively, the Programme seeks to shift Hong Kong’s public health approach from reactive care to proactive prevention – fostering healthy, independent and active ageing.
A launch ceremony for the Programme was held on the PolyU campus today. Officiating guests were Mr Ho Kai-ming, Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China; Ms Pauline Chu, Chief Manager (Community Service Network) of the Primary Healthcare Commission under the Health Bureau; Dr Laura Lo, Associate Vice President (Institutional Advancement) of PolyU; Ms Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Health & Older Adults Cluster) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Prof. Marco Pang, Head of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (RS) at PolyU; Prof. Amy Fu, Associate Head of RS at PolyU; and Jockey Club SafeMove Fall Management Programme Ambassador Mr Shek Sau.
Mr Shek Sau (centre) shared tips for maintaining a healthylifestyle, while Programmeinstructors demonstrated safe landing techniques. Photo source: PolyU
Participants in the Programme receive bone density screening and AI-driven fall-risk assessments developed by RS. Those found eligible are invited to join a 12-week fall preparedness training scheme jointly designed by PolyU researchers and professional judo coaches. This teaches them safe landing and body protection techniques to help reduce the force of impact and minimise the risk of fractures caused by falls. Consultations with PolyU physiotherapists are also open to participants.
Mr Ho Kai-ming said, “I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to The Hong Kong Jockey Club for its generous support, and to PolyU for translating advanced knowledge in rehabilitation sciences into tangible community benefits. The Programme is named ‘SafeMove’, which signifies helping elderly persons enhance their physical flexibility and adaptability so that they can respond calmly to the risk of falling. It marks a shift in the public health paradigm from reactive care to proactive prevention, and aligns closely with the Government’s policy of promoting prevention-oriented elderly care and carer support. Through the Pilot Scheme on Intelligent Accident Detection Systems, the Government is providing high-risk households with real-time detection and support. This complements the ‘safe landing’ training under the Programme, jointly weaving a more robust safety net for elderly persons at home.”
Mr Ho Kai-mingsaid the Programme alignedclosely with theGovernment’s policy of promoting prevention-oriented elderly care and carer support. Photo source: PolyU
Dr Laura Lo remarked, “As an institution committed to addressing societal needs and enhancing community well-being through world-leading research and innovative knowledge, PolyU is proud to see the Jockey Club SafeMove Fall Management Programme come to life today. This initiative exemplifies our dedication to translating research outcomes into meaningful social impact. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for its generous support of this Programme, and to extend my sincere thanks to our five partner NGOs and the research team from PolyU’s Department of Rehabilitation Sciences for their dedication and hard work. Together they have established a cross-sector collaboration platform that connects research, professional services and community networks for the benefit of older adults across Hong Kong.”
Dr Laura Lo said that PolyU is committed to addressing societal needs and enhancing community well-being through world-leading research and innovative knowledge. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the five partner NGOs and the research team from PolyU's Department of Rehabilitation Sciences for their dedication in building cross-sector collaboration platform that connects research, professional services and community networks for the benefit of older adults across Hong Kong. Photo source: PolyU
Ms Imelda Chan added, “Promoting better health is one of the strategic priorities of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. Riding on our ongoing commitment to prevent falls and fractures among older adults, the Trust has approved a donation of over HK$119 million to support the Jockey Club SafeMove Fall Management Programme jointly implemented by PolyU and five NGOs. As Hong Kong’s first large-scale community programme to integrate judo-based landing techniques with the biomechanics of falling, the Programme translates research evidence into innovative primary health-care services and establishes a community-based, sustainable fall management model, demonstrating the Club’s commitment to advancing impactful philanthropy and the betterment of our society.”
MsImelda Chan said,riding on its ongoing commitment to prevent falls and fractures among older adults, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has approved a donation of over HK$119 million to support the Programme, translating research evidence into innovative primary health-care services. This demonstrates the Club’s commitment to advancing impactful philanthropy and the betterment of our society. Photo source: PolyU
The PolyU research team anticipates that the Jockey Club SafeMove Fall Management Programme will help to reduce fall-related injuries and associated health-care expenditure among participants, improve their physical functioning and mobility and alleviate the psychological and social burdens that the fear of falling can create, enhancing overall health and quality of life.
The “Jockey Club SafeMove Fall Management Programme” is expected to not only strengthen older adults’ fall prevention and self-protection capabilities, but also to enhance their physical resilience and adaptability. The PolyU research team anticipates that the initiative will help reduce fall-related injuries and associated healthcare expenditure, improve physical functioning and mobility, and alleviate the psychological and social burdens arising from the fear of falling, thereby enhancing overall health and quality of life.
PolyUholds the launch ceremony of the “Jockey Club SafeMove Fall Management Programme”. Photo source: PolyU
