Lingnan University Admits a Record Number of Seven Elite Athletes for the New Academic Year Through the Student‑Athlete Learning Support and Admission Scheme

Lingnan University has always actively supported the holistic development of local athletes. This year, the University has admitted seven elite athletes, a record intake, through the Student-Athlete Learning Support and Admission Scheme (SALSA Scheme). They include four cyclists, Ma Yik-sin, Ma Yik-fei, Kwok Chun-yan, and Siu Ka-chun; triathlete Lam Lok-shi; tenpin bowler Amen Yuen Cheuk-hin; and high jumper Hui Chi-man. All seven will enrol in undergraduate programmes for the 2026/27 academic year: five of them will pursue the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sports Coaching and Event Management programme, while Lam will study Psychology, and Hui will study Philosophy.

Five of the seven elite student-athletes enrolled for the 2026/27 academic year. Front row from left: Siu Ka-chun, Hui Chi-man, Ma Yik-sin; back row from left: Ma Yik-fei, Kwok Chun-yan. Photo source: Lingnan University

Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing, welcomed the seven elite athletes to the Lingnan family, emphasising that the University will provide comprehensive learning support to help them cultivate diverse interests outside sport, so that they can balance their development in both academic and athletic areas.

He said, “Lingnan University is determined to attract outstanding talents from diverse backgrounds in order to foster a mutually enriching learning environment, and elite athletes are vital partners in driving knowledge innovation. The firsthand experience they gain from advanced training and international competitions provides a valuable empirical foundation for our teaching and research. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, Lingnan aims to integrate athletes’ practical experiences in training, competition, and psychological adjustment with academic research, addressing industry needs and sparking innovation in sports coaching, sports psychology, and mega-event management, ultimately contributing to the Hong Kong SAR’s development as a centre for major sports events.”

Star tennis athlete Cody Wong (left), who enrolled at Lingnan University in the 2023/24 academic year, partners with a Thai teammate to win the doubles title at the W35 Dallas, TX tournament of the ITF Women's World Tennis Tour in mid-July. Photo source: Lingnan University

Prof Chan also noted that Lingnan University’s elite athletes have achieved consistently outstanding results in major international competitions. Two cyclists who enrolled at Lingnan last year, Phoebe Tung and Yeung Cho-yiu, represented Team Hong Kong, China at the Korea Track Cup 2026 in Yangyang, winning silver and bronze medals respectively in the Women’s Elite Keirin. Meanwhile, star tennis athlete Cody Wong, who enrolled at Lingnan in the 2023/24 academic year, partnered with a Thai teammate to win the doubles title at the W35 Dallas, TX tournament of the ITF Women's World Tennis Tour in mid-July. Additionally, top table tennis athlete Yuen Wing-ki, who enrolled at Lingnan in the same cohort, won a bronze medal for the Hong Kong SAR in the Women’s Table Tennis Doubles (Class TT5) at the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games.

Profiles of the seven elite student-athletes

Cyclist Ma Yik-sin: Inspired by two-time Olympic bronze medallist Lee Wai-sze, Ma Yik-sin, elder brother of the Hong Kong Junior Team twin duo, won the Gold Medal in the Men’s Junior Madison at the 2025 National Track Cycling Championships & National Youth Track Cycling Championships alongside his twin Ma Yik-fei. He will enrol in Year 3 of the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sports Coaching and Event Management programme.

Cyclist Ma Yik-sin, Photo source: Lingnan University

Cyclist Ma Yik-fei: Younger twin brother Ma Yik-fei was also inspired by Lee Wai-sze, and brought home a silver medal in the Men’s Junior Scratch, a silver medal in the Youth Elimination Race, and a bronze medal in the Men’s Junior Team Pursuit from the 2025 Asian Track Championships in Malaysia. He will enrol in Year 3 of the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sports Coaching and Event Management programme.

Cyclist Ma Yik-fei, Photo source: Lingnan University

Cyclist Kwok Chun-yan: A road cyclist whose team won the Team Classification Title at the 2025 Yellow River Estuary (Dongying) Road Cycling Race and the Men’s U23 Championship at the 2025 Hong Kong Road Cycling Championships, Kwok will enrol in Year 3 of the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sports Coaching and Event Management programme.

Cyclist Kwok Chun-yan, Photo source: Lingnan University

Cyclist Siu Ka-chun: Siu won a Bronze Medal in the Men's Junior Keirin (International Division) at the 2023 Hong Kong International Track Cup, and came 8th in the Men’s Junior Group A Time Trial at the 2023 China National U Series Junior Road Championship. He will enrol in Year 3 of the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sports Coaching and Event Management programme.

Cyclist Siu Ka-chun, Photo source: Lingnan University

Triathlete Lam Lok-shi: Joined the Hong Kong Team for training aged 14, and was named an Outstanding Junior Athlete for the fourth quarter of 2022. He won the Gold Medal in the Men’s U15 category at the 2023 Asia Triathlon Youth Championships, and was the 2nd Runner-up in the Male Elite Junior category at the 2026 Asia Triathlon Junior Cup Putrajaya. He will enrol in Year 1 of the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Psychology programme.

Triathlete Lam Lok-shi, Photo source: Lingnan University

Tenpin bowler Amen Yuen Cheuk-hin: Yuen represented the Hong Kong SAR at the 21st and 22nd Asian Junior Tenpin Bowling Championships in 2022 and 2023, where he and his teammates won the Champion and 2nd Runner-up titles in the Boys' Team of four. He was also the 1st Runner-up in the U22 Division at the U22 Hong Kong Storm Cup 2025. He will enrol in Year 3 of the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sports Coaching and Event Management programme.

Tenpin bowler Amen Yuen Cheuk-hin, Photo source: Lingnan University

High jumper Hui Chi-man: Active in track and field, Hui competed in the 2025 All China Youth (U18) Athletics Championships, coming 14th in the Men’s U18 High Jump. He will enrol in Year 1 of the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Philosophy programme.

High jumper Hui Chi-man, Photo source: Lingnan University

Each elite athlete admitted through Lingnan’s SALSA Scheme will receive an allowance of up to HK$400,000 to cover tuition fees, learning and living expenses, accommodation costs, and expenses for the Chinese Mainland or overseas exchanges. They will also benefit from physiotherapy, medical care, and additional insurance coverage to ensure their well-being.

Furthermore, to accommodate the student-athletes’ training and competition schedules, designated staff from the Office of Student Affairs will provide one-stop dedicated support from admission to graduation. This includes priority course registration and flexible learning and examination arrangements, as well as career planning advice to help them explore diverse professional pathways beyond sports.

The Short-legged Horned Toad (Boulenophrys brachykolos), listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, is the only known small frog species in Hong Kong belonging to the genus Boulenophrys of the family Megophryidae. A study led by the Division of Science at Lingnan University has found that the Lantau Island population of the Short-legged Horned Toad shows clear genetic divergence from other local populations, along with several notable differences in the mating calls of males. The research team suggests that the Lantau population represents an early stage of speciation. Geographical isolation of Lantau Island from other landmasses likely contributed to these unique evolutionary traits. The team recommends treating the Lantau population as a separate conservation unit in future.

The Short-legged Horned Toad, an endangered species in Hong Kong, is a small frog measuring around 40 mm in length. It is characterised by short hind limbs, small horn-like projections above the eyes, and skin coloration and patterns that closely resemble dead leaves. (The photo shows the Short-legged Horned Toad population on Lantau Island.)

These findings have been published in international academic journal Current Herpetology.

The Short-legged Horned Toad is distributed across mountain streams on Lantau Island, Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and adjacent Shenzhen. The research team, led by Lingnan University, collected 19 samples of the Short-legged Horned Toad (nine from Lantau Island, six from Hong Kong Island, and four from Kowloon) to examine their genetic and morphological characteristics. The results show that the Short-legged Horned Toads on Lantau form a distinct genetic group separate from those on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and Shenzhen. This suggests that the Lantau population has been separated from other populations for a considerable period.

The study shows that Short-legged Horned Toads are visually almost identical, making evolutionary differences difficult to detect through traditional field surveys alone. (The photo shows the Short-legged Horned Toad population on Hong Kong Island.)

In addition, the team recorded and analysed the mating calls of male Short-legged Horned Toads from Lantau Island, Hong Kong Island, and Kowloon. They found significant differences in their calls between Lantau Island and other local populations. The Lantau population produces calls with a faster rhythm and shorter individual notes.

In terms of physical appearance, the team found no marked differences between frogs from Lantau Island and other regions, indicating that physical characteristics alone may be insufficient to distinguish the Lantau population from other populations.

Prof Jonathan Fong, the corresponding author of the study, Associate Dean (Administration and Education) of the Wu Jieh Yee School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Associate Professor of the Division of Science at Lingnan University.

Prof Jonathan Fong, the corresponding author of the study, Associate Dean (Administration and Education) of the Wu Jieh Yee School of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Associate Professor of the Division of Science at Lingnan University, said the study provides a more comprehensive approach to evaluating evolutionary divergence among populations of the same species. He said, “Many amphibians look very similar, making evolutionary differences difficult to detect through traditional methods by examining morphology alone. By integrating genetic and acoustic data, we found that frogs on Lantau Island have distinct genetic make-up and male toads have different mating calls. This suggests that Lantau population is following a distinct evolutionary trajectory.”

Prof Sung Yik-hei, the first author of the study and Adjunct Assistant Professor of the Division of Science at Lingnan University.

Prof Sung Yik-hei, the first author of the study and Adjunct Assistant Professor of the Division of Science at Lingnan University, explained that Lantau Island became geographically isolated from the mainland approximately 10,000 years ago. The geographical isolation likely reduced gene flow between populations, allowing the Lantau Short-legged Horned Toad population to develop unique genetic traits over time. The study also highlights that Hong Kong may harbour undiscovered biodiversity.

Researchers conduct fieldwork in Hong Kong. (Click here to listen: Audio comparison of the calls of the Short-legged Horned Toad population in Lantau Island and the Kowloon population.

Prof Sung said, “The results suggest that the Short-legged Horned Toad population on Lantau Island may represent an early stage of speciation, although current evidence is insufficient to determine whether the Lantau population constitutes a distinct species. The Short-legged Horned Toad is an endangered species, and if the Lantau population declines or become extinct, its unique genetic traits could be lost and irreplaceable by populations from other areas. We therefore propose that conservation management recognise the Lantau population as an independent conservation unit, giving due consideration to its specific conservation needs to ensure the survival of this unique native population.”

Co-authors of the study include Franco Leung Ka-wah, PhD student at James Cook University in Australia, and Mr Henry Chan Man-ho, Senior Project Officer at Outdoor Wildlife Learning Hong Kong. The research was supported by funding from the Lantau Conservation Fund.

For the full study, please visit: Intraspecific Diversity of Short-Legged Horned Toad (Boulenophrys brachykolos) in Hong Kong: Identification of a Distinct Conservation Unit on Lantau Island