The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) hosted the 15th National Games Hong Kong Medallists Raceday today (18 January) at Sha Tin Racecourse in recognition of the most successful National Games in Hong Kong’s history. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) team won a landmark nine gold, two silver and eight bronze medals at the Games, which were co-hosted for the first time by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
The raceday also featured a cheque presentation ceremony for the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme (JCAIAS), through which the Club granted a total of HK$11,475,000 in cash incentives to the medallists.
Guests attending today’s raceday included triple gold medal winning cyclist Ceci Lee Sze-wing; swimmer Siobhan Haughey, who secured two gold and two bronze medals; gold-medallist fencers Edgar Cheung Ka-long, Ryan Choi Chun-yin; gold-medallist cyclist Leung Wing-yee; silver-medallist team triathletes Bailee Brown, Robin Elg and Oscar Coggins, who also secured an individual triathlon bronze medal; bronze-medallist fencer Kaylin Hsieh Sin-yan; bronze-medallist swimmer Adam Mak Sai-ting; bronze-medallist tennis players (Youth) Jack Cheng and Tam Sin-hang; HKSAR Government officials; and representatives from the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) and national sports associations. They came together to acknowledge and honour Hong Kong’s record-breaking achievements at the National Games.
Officiating at the event, Chan Kwok-ki, the Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government, said: “The HKSAR fielded its largest-ever delegation at this edition of the National Games, demonstrating the athletes’ outstanding competitive calibre and unwavering determination. The delegation also delivered Hong Kong’s best-ever results at the National Games, a source of immense pride for the community.” He expressed his gratitude to The Hong Kong Jockey Club for its long-standing and staunch support for the development of local sports. He added that as the sole Partner Sponsor of the National Games in the Hong Kong Competition Region, the Club had supported the organisation of events in the city, with around 100 volunteers from the Club’s CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team serving in various supporting roles, making a significant contribution to the smooth running of the competitions.
Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman, The Hon Martin Liao, commended the team, saying: “I was deeply inspired by the commitment, determination and resilience displayed by our athletes as they competed at the nation’s highest level. To recognise their remarkable success, the Club is rewarding Hong Kong medallists at the 15th National Games under the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, encouraging them to continue striving for excellence.” He added that the 15th National Games, the first to be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, marked a milestone in Hong Kong’s sports development. The Club has long been dedicated to advancing sports development at all levels and will continue to work closely with the HKSAR Government and the wider community to build on this success.
Ceci Lee Sze-wing successfully defended her title in the women’s individual road race, bringing home three gold medals and earning HK$2.25 million in cash incentives. Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “That disappointing performance at the Paris Olympics weighed heavily on me, but my coaches and teammates never stopped believing. Honestly, I had to push hard to regain confidence. Their trust pulled me through, and I couldn’t have finished with golds without them. I am grateful for the support from the Government and the community, and I sincerely thank the HKSI and the Club for their backing through the Scheme.”
Swimmer Siobhan Haughey claimed two gold medals in her signature freestyle events and added two bronzes in back-to-back finals, receiving a total of HK$1.8 million in cash incentives. She remarked, “It’s an incredible honour to stand on the podium at my first National Games alongside my coaches. Coming back from a back injury, this feels like a strong start. It was a joy to race with our younger swimmers, and I look forward to seeing more breakthroughs from the team.”
The Club launched the three-year JCAIAS in 2023, sponsoring the HKSI to provide cash awards to Hong Kong, China athletes who excel in major sports events. These include the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Asian Para Games, World University Games, National Games and National Games for Persons with Disabilities, and their respective Winter Games. Over HK$87 million in cash incentives has been granted to date.
In support of the National Games, the Club has committed over HK$500 million to the Hong Kong and Guangdong Competition Regions. As sole Partner Sponsor of the Hong Kong Competition Region, it supported 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.
Over the years, the Club has promoted sports at both community and elite levels through numerous initiatives, enabling people of all ages and abilities to enjoy sports. Funded jointly by the Club and the Government, the Hong Kong Sports Institute, (then called the Jubilee Sports Centre) opened in 1982. In 1992, the Club’s Charities Trust provided an endowment of HK$200 million to establish a trust fund, now called the Hong Kong Jockey Club Elite Athletes Fund. In 2021, the Club pledged HK$150 million in funding to match the HKSAR Government’s HK$150 million grant for the Sports Science and Research Funding Scheme.
Attachment: Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme – the 15th National Games
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class sports and entertainment organisation that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2024/25, the Club returned a total of HK$39.1 billion to the community. This included HK$30.1 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$9.0 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors.
