ENG-1991 — Page 391

RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

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The Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation disburses grants for the construction and improvement of recreational and sporting facilities as well as the purchase of equipment.

Sports Development Board

The Hong Kong Sports Development Board is a statutory body responsible for promoting the development of sports and physical recreation in Hong Kong. In 1991, after extensive discussions with sporting associations and other bodies, the board formulated a four-year strategic plan for the period 1991-5. To ensure the maximum return on its resources, the board selected badminton, squash, swimming and windsurfing as target sports for intensive development during the four-year cycle. The potential of other sports will be continuously evaluated with a view to elevating them to target sport status when appropriate.

Recognising that there is an urgent need to develop a central coach education and accreditation scheme, the board worked closely with the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee, the National Sports Associations and the tertiary institutions in drawing up a four-year Hong Kong Coach Education Programme, the major components of which included a National Coach Accreditation Programme, a continuing Coach Education Programme, a Teacher-Education Service Programme and the inception of the Hong Kong Coach Association.

The board is responsible for the funding of the National Sports Associations. In 1991, a total of $25 million was allocated to the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic - Committee, the National Sports Associations and other sport and recreation organisations to subsidise the salaries of their full-time staff and the costs of training and organisation of international sports events.

The board also manages the Sports Aid Foundation Fund and the Sports Aid for the Disabled Fund. In 1991, the board allocated a total of $2.36 million to provide financial assistance to 46 athletes with Asian or world achievements in their pursuit of excellence.

Sporting Achievements

Teams from Hong Kong regularly participate in international sporting competitions. At the 10th Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships in Kenya, the women's team comprising Chai Po-wa, Chan Tan-lui and Chan Suk-yuen won the gold medal. Chan Tan-lui, paired up with Chan Chi-ming in the Mixed Doubles and Chai Po-wa in the Women's Doubles respectively, won two gold medals. Chai Po-wa and Chan Tan-lui further achieved the first and second positions for the Women's Singles while the latter also won the bronze medal for the Women's Singles at the 41st World Table Tennis Championships in Japan.

Lee Lai-shan won the gold medal for the Lechner A390 Class at the Asian Windsurfing Championships in Thailand while Lui Kam-chi, Cheung Wing-chung, Leung Wai-hung, Kwok Man-wah and Kwong Wai-lun won three bronze medals for the Boy's Single Sculls, Double Sculls and Coxless Pairs events respectively at the 1st Asian Junior Rowing Championships in Shanghai.

Wyman Li, Mickey Cheng and Philip Shek won the silver medal for the Team Trap event at the 1991 Asian Clay Shooting Championships in Japan.

Wu Xing-yao, Lo Chi-hong, Wong Tsan, Tang Kwong-hau and Lee Chung-man won the bronze medal for the Men's Team Foil event at the 2nd Asian Fencing Championships in Kuala Lumpur.