Since its inception in 2005, the A.S. Watson Group Hong Kong Student Sports Awards (SSA) has seen more than 2,986 secondary, primary and special school student athletes in Hong Kong being honoured for their sporting pursuit and interests. The award presentation ceremony for SSA 2008-2009 was held on 15 February 2009 at Queen Elizabeth Stadium. A record number of 802 talented student athletes have been awarded, representing a total participation of 70% of all primary, secondary and special schools. This also signaled that the local community is preparing for this first hosting of a multi-sports games in the Hong Kong history.

Over 2,000 school principals, teachers, parents and family members attended the ceremony to show their support and witness the important moment of Hong Kong’s future sports elites. And the guests of honour encourage them to support 2009 East Asian Games and hope the spirit of solidarity, harmony and friendship will create a perfect platform to take Hong Kong to a new height in international sport.

To further develop the awardees’ potential as leaders, two full-day leadership training workshops were organized on 30 and 31 January 2009.

In addition, 30 outstanding students among the awardees will be selected for a sport exchange tour to Beijing in the summer of 2009. During the tour, students will visit national sports training facilities, meeting with gold medalist athletes and share their happiness, and learn more about the post-Olympic Games development of facilities, training and supporting infrastructure of elite sports teams and athletes. All awardees are eligible to apply for the exchange tour from now until 23 March 2009.

SSA was launched in 2005 and it is the first of its kind in Hong Kong open to all local primary, secondary and special schools. Instead of just awarding the best of the best from all schools, the SSA is extended to award one sports talent nominated by each school every year. It continues to act as a corporate drive to help build an active sporting culture leading to the forthcoming 2009 East Asian Games to be hosted by Hong Kong.

A.S. Watson Group Hong Kong Student Sports Awards is supported by Education Bureau, Home Affairs Bureau, Social Welfare Department, Association of Principals of Government Secondary Schools, Hong Kong Association of Heads of Secondary Schools, Hong Kong Subsidized Secondary Schools Council, Hong Kong Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council, Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association, Union of Government Primary School Headmasters & Headmistresses, Subsidized Primary Schools Council, Hong Kong Special Schools Council, Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation, and The Outstanding Young Persons Association.

Please click the following links to download detailed information and enter the on-line application for Beijing Sports Exchange Tour: