Hong Kong spent HK$823 million on its athletes in 2023-24. Here's where it went
Hong Kong Sports Institute on Wednesday released a report detailing its budget and achievements in 2023-24, revealing that it spent HK$822.9 million on training athletes.
Advertisement
The taxpayer-funded organisation's outlay supported 1,443 senior and junior athletes, 620 of whom it listed as being full-time, during a period when the city won 53 medals at the Asian Games.
Hong Kong also collected 47 medals at the Asian Para Games, 12 at the World University Games and 33 at various world championships.
According to the HKSI report, a breakdown of the HK$822.9 million included HK$176 million in payments to athletes under the 'direct financial support scheme' and HK$646.9 million for athletes' training programmes, sports science and medicine support, lifestyle provisions and education subsidies for the athletes.
The Asian Games of 2023 were the city's best in terms of total medals won – albeit that it took 680 athletes, 100 more than went to the previous edition in 2018, and earned the same tally of eight gold medals.
Siobhan Haughey was among Hong Kong's gold medallists at the Asian Games in 2023. Photo: AFP
Topping the podium were Siobhan Haughey – twice – in swimming, fencer Cheung Ka-long, Taichi Kho in golf, men's rowers Lam San-tung and Wong Wai-chun, cyclist Yang Qianyu, the men's rugby sevens team and the men's bridge team.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
4 hours ago
- RTHK
McIntosh smashes another world record in 400m medley
McIntosh smashes another world record in 400m medley It was the third world record broken by McIntosh in the span of five days. File photo: AFP Summer McIntosh bagged her third world record in days after clocking 4 minutes 23.65 seconds to better her own 400 medley record at the Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria. The 18-year-old Canadian prodigy, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, laid down another impressive marker ahead of next month's World Championships in Singapore with a dominant performance. McIntosh's blistering time beat her old mark of 4 minutes 24.38 seconds set in Toronto in May last year at the Canadian Olympic trials. McIntosh's assault on her own world record got off to a smooth start, with the teenager completing the opening butterfly leg in world record pace. She was more than a second ahead of the world record at the halfway stage, and although that margin dropped to one-tenth of a second after the breaststroke, she produced an electrifying freestyle down the stretch to complete a scintillating performance. "Going into tonight, I knew I could do something really special because this has probably been the best meet of my career," McIntosh said afterwards in a pool deck interview. "World records are made to be broken. So by the time I leave this sport, I want to make sure that that record is as fast as possible," she added. "That really keeps me going, because I know there's always going to be the next generation of kids growing up, and they're going to be chasing the record. So I've gotta give them my best effort to see how long it can stand." Wednesday's record-breaking display was the latest entry to an impressive catalogue of performances she has produced this week in British Columbia. On Saturday, she smashed the women's 400m freestyle record, slicing more than a second off Australian star Ariarne Titmus's world best from 2023. She then clocked the third fastest 800m freestyle in history on Sunday, before diving back into the pool on Monday to obliterate Hungarian great Katinka Hosszu's decade-old 200m medley world record. McIntosh, who gold medals in the 200m butterfly, 200m medley and 400m medley at last year's Paris Olympics, will now head to next month's worlds aiming to add to her collection of four world championship gold medals. (AFP)
RTHK
9 hours ago
- RTHK
Australia fight back in WTC final against South Africa
Australia fight back in WTC final against South Africa Australia players celebrate on the field during day one of the ICC World Test Championship. Photo: AFP Mitchell Starc led Australia's recovery as the defending champions fought back with the ball against South Africa on the first day of the World Test Championship final at Lord's. Australia were dismissed for just 212 after South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss in bowler-friendly conditions, with pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada taking 5-51. But at stumps South Africa had slumped to 43-4 in reply, a deficit of 169 runs, as Starc finished the day with figures of 2-10 in seven overs. South Africa's Marco Jansen, who took 3-49, admitted it had been a mixed day for the Proteas. "Bowling-wise I think we did really well," he said. "They bowled well and we are going to have our work cut out for us tomorrow." Given the strength of both teams' pace attacks, the key question was always likely to be which side could put enough runs on the scoreboard. Australia's total certainly looked a lot healthier when left-arm quick Starc had Aiden Markram playing on for a duck before dismissing Ryan Rickelton (16) to leave South Africa floundering at 19-2. Novice number three Wiaan Mulder, dropped on one, was bowled by Australia captain Pat Cummins, having taken 44 balls to make six. And shortly before the close, Josh Hazlewood bowled Tristan Stubbs. Australia had earlier slumped to 67-4 at lunch. But star batsman Steve Smith (66) and all-rounder Beau Webster (72) repaired the damage with a fifth-wicket stand of 79. "Two good bowling outfits, it was tough work for the batters," Webster told the BBC. "We've got a score on the board and to grab four scalps at the end of the day, I think we're pretty happy." Webster, however, would have been lbw to Rabada for eight if South Africa had reviewed an original not out decision. "There were a couple of reviews throughout the day which could've gone either way," said Webster. "The degree of seam movement up the slope was tricky." Australia were in desperate trouble in the early overs, reduced to 16-2 after losing Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in a single Rabada over. The 30-year-old, who has more than 300 Test wickets, is playing his first Test after serving a one-month ban for cocaine use earlier this year. "It means a lot for me playing for South Africa, I give my all each and every time. I am so happy to do the job out there," Rabada told Sky Sports. Australia have struggled to find an opening partner for Khawaja since David Warner's retirement 17 months ago, with Marnus Labuschagne the latest batsman tried out. The 30-year-old, without a Test century for nearly two years, battled hard for 17 off 56 balls before falling to towering left-armer Jansen. Australia had been in similar trouble in the 2023 final against India across London at The Oval, only for Smith and Travis Head to both score hundreds as they turned the match in their favour. Head, however, could only manage 11 before he glanced Jansen, with Kyle Verreynne holding an excellent diving one-handed catch. Smith went to fifty before falling to part-time spinner Markram after Jansen, at slip, clung on at the third attempt. Australia lost their last five wickets for just 20 runs, with Rabada ending the innings when he bowled Starc. Rabada's haul meant he surpassed Allan Donald's tally of 330 Test wickets in his 71st match compared to the retired South Africa great's 72 Tests. "That's awesome," said Rabada. "Allan Donald, what a legend, it means a lot to get past someone like him." (AFP)
RTHK
a day ago
- RTHK
Brazil seal World Cup berth; Uruguay on the brink
Brazil seal World Cup berth; Uruguay on the brink Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior scored the only goal of the match just before the break. Photo: AFP Brazil booked their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America with a 1-0 home victory over Paraguay, the first win of new coach Carlo Ancelotti's reign. The five-time world champions – the only team to appear in every edition of the World Cup – punched their ticket to the finals in Canada, the United States and Mexico thanks to Vinicius Jr. The Real Madrid star fired Brazil into the lead in Sao Paulo, bundling home from close range in the 44th minute after a cross from new Manchester United signing Matheus Cunha. Uruguay's 2-0 victory over Venezuela in Montevideo earlier Tuesday had raised the prospect of qualification for both Brazil and Paraguay at the Corinthians Arena. Paraguay were left needing only a point to qualify after Venezuela's defeat, while Brazil knew they could advance with a win. In the event it was Brazil who seized the opportunity presented by Venezuela's loss with Vinicius scoring the only goal just before half-time. A lacklustre Brazil had struggled to create many chances up until that point, with Cunha squandering a golden chance in the 35th minute after heading wide from point-blank range. But Cunha made up for that miss with a key part in the goal, capitalising on good work from Raphinha to dart into the box and whip in a low cross for Vinicius, who stabbed home the finish. The win lifts Brazil into third place in the South American standings with 25 points from 16 games, guaranteeing them a top-six finish and an automatic qualifying berth. The defeat leaves Paraguay with 24 points, meaning they need one point to secure their first World Cup appearance since 2010. Ecuador can join Brazil by sealing qualification with a point against Peru in Lima later Tuesday. In other games, Uruguay edged closer to qualification with their win over Venezuela while Chile were eliminated with defeat to Bolivia. Goals from Rodrigo Aguirre and Giorgian de Arrascaeta secured all three points for Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay to leave the two-time world champions firmly on course for a place in next year's finals. Like Paraguay, Uruguay need only a point from their final two games to qualify. Venezuela, who are bidding to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in the nation's history, are seventh with 18 points from 16 games. World Cup holders Argentina, who have already qualified, meanwhile came from behind to frustrate Colombia with a 1-1 draw in Buenos Aires. Liverpool star Luis Diaz fired Colombia into the lead with a superb 24th minute goal, and the Colombians were given a further boost midway through the second half when the world champions were reduced to 10 men after Enzo Fernandez's dismissal. But Colombia's hopes of a vital win were dashed nine minutes from time when Thiago Almada weaved into the box and found the target to level. The top six finishers in South America qualify automatically for the World Cup, with the seventh-placed team advancing to an intercontinental playoff. Elsewhere, Bolivia defeated Chile 2-0 to end the former South American champions' hopes of qualification. It marks the third straight World Cup that Chile have missed out. The loss continues a dramatic fall from grace for 'La Roja', who won back-to-back Copa Americas in 2015 and 2016. (AFP)
