4 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong AI creator's mental health system for athletes inspired by Simone Biles
Hong Kong entrepreneur Jonathon Wan Kwok-keun is no stranger to overcoming mental setbacks - when he was 18 and swimming near Ocean Beach, San Francisco, he was pulled under by a current, lost consciousness, and needed a nearby surfer to save his life.
Now 51, Wan does not remember much about that day in a city he has called home since 1991. But the mental scars remained, and he did not swim again for nearly two decades.
More than 30 years later, Wan overcame his fear and completed the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon twice, as well as dozens of Ironman races and marathons.
His experience also led to him co-founding a system that uses smart wearables and AI tools to analyse athletes and provide early warning signs of mental and physical deterioration, helping coaches and clinicians know when to intervene and what to do.
'For the athlete or the coach, they will be able to see, for example, if you're above or below a certain threshold,' Wan said. 'And there are recommended actions that you should take, for example, breathing, yoga, stretching, an ice bath or take a little walk.
'It is guided by professionals, ice baths are awesome, but do you know how long or how often you need it? That's why we need coaches and professionals to do a little hand holding.'
