XN000022-1980-12-18 — Page 6

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1980

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+THIS, TOGETHER WITH THE CHANGES IN PROCEDURES, HAS AS EXPECTED SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS.+

ANOTHER REASON FOR THE VERY HEAVY DEMAND FOR THE MONKEY GOLD COINS WAS DUE TO AN INCREASE OF OVER 30 PER CENT IN THE PRICE OF GOLD WHEN APPLICATIONS OPENED.

+THIS RESULTED IN A LARGE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE MORE INTERESTED IN THE GOLD VALUE RATHER THAN THE NUMISMATIC VALUE OF THE COIN, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

HK SENDS YOUNG SWIMMERS TO INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

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A GROUP COMPRISING HONG KONG'S MOST PROMISING YOUNG SWIMMERS IS LEAVING ON CHRISTMAS DAY FOR HAWALI TO TAKE PART IN A FOUR-DAY SWIMMING COMPETITION FROM DECEMBER 27 TO 30.

THE YOUNGSTERS, WITHIN THE AGE GROUP 9 TO 12, WILL TAKE PART IN THE 10TH ANNUAL AULEA INVITATIONAL SWIM MEET AT KIALUA NEAR HONOLULU,

THEY WILL COMPETE WITH SWIMMERS FROM JAPAN, GUAM AND TOP HAWAIIAN SWIMMERS AND NATIONAL AGE GROUP RECORD HOLDERS FROM THE UNITED STATES.

THE HONG KONG DELEGATION OF 17 SWIMMERS, LED BY THREE OFFICIALS, IS FUNDED BY A GRANT OF $50 000 FROM THE COUNCIL FOR RECREATION AND SPORT, THE HONG KONG AMATEUR SWIMMING ASSOCIATION (HKASA) AND A DONATION FROM GRINDLAY'S DAO HENG BANK, WITH SUPPORT FROM OTHER WELL-WISHERS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE COUNCIL SAID THE COUNCIL WAS PARTICULARLY KEEN ON ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN POPULAR SPORTS.

IT EXPECTED TO FUND MORE SUCH TEAMS IN 1981 ON OVERSEAS COMPETITIONS TO BROADEN THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR UP AND COMING SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN.

THE AGE GROUP COMMITTEE OF THE HKASA HAS CO-ORDINATED THE EFFORT TO SEND THIS FIRST-EVER AGE GROUP TEAM OVERSEAS AS PART OF A DEVELOPMENT SCHEME TO ENCOURAGE MORE HONG KONG YOUNGSTERS TO JOIN THE ALL-YEAR PROGRAMME OF COMPETITIVE SWIMMING NOW OFFERED LOCALLY.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AGE GROUP COMMITTEE, MR BRIAN COAK, SAID THE PRESIDENT OF THE HKASA, MR A. DE O. SALES WAS VERY ENTHUSIASTIC AND HAD GIVEN GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT SCHEME WHICH AIMED AT PARTICIPATION BUT AT THE SAME TIME GROOMED TALENTED YOUNGER SWIMMERS FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS.

+ IT IS NECESSARY,+ SAID MR COAK, TO LOOK MORE LONG TERM. THE YOUNGER ELEMENT REQUIRES GRADUAL EXPOSURE AND BETTER COMPETITION IN ORDER TO GAIN EXPERIENCE TO BE COMPETITIVE AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. CONSEQUENTLY, THE ASSOCIATION IS MAKING A POSITIVE START BY SENDING THIS TEAM TO THE AULEA MEET.+

THE HONG KONG TEAM WILL BE LED BY TEAM MANAGER, MR BRIAN COAK, WITH MR TANG NAI CHU AS ASSISTANT TEAM MANAGER AND MRS PAT WONG AS CHAPERONE.

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