XN000022-1979-03-23 — Page 13

12

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1979

NEW ERA IN SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

*****

HONG KONG IS ENTERING A NEW ERA OF SPORTS DEVELOPMENT THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR JACK CATER, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) AT A CEREMONY TO MARK THE CONCLUSION OF THE ANNUAL INTER-SCHOOL ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS AT WAN CHAI SPORTS GROUND.

THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY TOLD HIM THIS WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST SCHOOLS ATHLETIC MEETS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD AND, IN ITSELF THAT IS A PRETTY AMAZING AND WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT, SIR JACK NOTED.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY WENT ON +MUCH HAS BEEN ACHIEVED, TOO, BY THE SPORTS COMMUNITY OF HONG KONG THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF INDIVIDUAL AND VARIOUS ASSOCIATIONS, INCLUDING OUR WELL-KNOWN AMATEUR SPORTS FEDERATION AND OLYMPIC COMMITTEE OF HONG KONG, AND THE URBAN COUNCIL.

+BUT COMPARATIVELY RECENTLY EVEN MORE EFFORT HAS BEEN PUT INTO DEVELOPING SPORTS AND RECREATION ON A COMMUNITY-WIDE BASIS.

+MUCH MORE MONEY HAS BECOME AVAILABLE FOR COACHING PROMISING ATHLETES, BUILDING FACILITIES AND FOR PARTICIPATION IN

INTERNATIONAL AND INTERPORT EVENTS.

+1 AM GLAD THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE TAKING PLACE AND I HOPE YOU WILL MAKE FULL USE OF THEM+.

SIR JACK TOLD THE STUDENTS THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE SCHOOL THERE WILL INCREASINGLY BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO CONTINUE WITH THE IR CHOSEN SPORTS.

+THE NATIONAL SPORTS BODIES, THE SILVER JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE, THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE AND THE URBAN COUNCIL ARE ALL WORK ING IN THE SAME DIRECTION — TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES GIVEN TO YOU IN YOUR EARLY SCHOOL DAYS BY THE TWO SCHOOLS' SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS AND THE SCHOOLS' SPORTS COUNCIL, WILL CONTINUE, HE ADDED.

REFERRING TO THE STADIUM'S MAGNIFICENT NEW TRACK THE FIRST IN HONG KONG BUILT TO FULL INTERNATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS, SIR JACK SAID OTHER FACILITIES WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON AND HOPED THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WILL MAKE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE USE OF THEM FOR THE IR ENJOYMENT, IMPROVEMENT AND GENERAL GOOD HEALTH.

SPEAKING AT THE SAME CEREMONY, MR. TOPLEY, WHO IS ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE HONG KONG SCHOOLS SPORTS ASSOCIATION, THANKED VARIOUS VOLUNTEERS, THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR MAKING THE MEETING A SUCCESS.

HE SAID ABOUT 30,000 PARTICIPANTS FROM MORE THAN 120 SCHOOLS HAD TAKEN PART IN THE 15-DAY ATHLETIC MEETING.

/13