ENG-2010 — Page 483

Recreation, Sport and the Arts 405

Hong Kong Paralympic Committee and Sports Association for the Physically Disabled

To keep growing, the Hong Kong Paralympic and Sports Association for the Physically Disabled underwent a significant

a significant overhaul in 2010 which included improving the secretariat's administrative structure, and reviewing thoroughly the development of each of the sports in which its athletes take part.

Also in 2010, a talent identification programme was launched for the first time to identify potential among new athletes, a much-needed move to keep sporting activities for the disabled growing.

The association's athletes continued to do well in regional and international events during the year. Wheelchair fencers continued to excel, and made Hong Kong proud by winning five gold, two silver and four bronze medals at the Paris World Wheelchair Fencing Championships.

Hong Kong Sports Association for the Mentally Handicapped

The Hong Kong Sports Association for the Mentally Handicapped develops, promotes and organises sporting activities for people with intellectual disability to help them develop fully their potential in sports, to help them cultivate positive attitudes in sportsmanship and to facilitate their integration into the community. The association provides sports training and competitions which had an attendance of 42 823 in 2010. The association had been developing steadily a training programme over the years to cater for all levels of ability.

Athletes took part in many international competitions during the year and made the most of these events to sharpen their skills. Highlights included the 6th Daegu University President's Cup International Adaptive Indoor Rowing Competition in Korea at which Hong Kong won three medals: one gold, one silver and one bronze; the 6th INAS-FID World Indoor Athletics Championships in Sweden at which Hong Kong won two medals: one gold and one silver; the 2010 INAS-FID Open Swimming European Championship in Italy at which Hong Kong won 50 medals: 28 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze; the 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships in the Netherlands at which Hong Kong won three medals: one gold, one silver and one bronze; the 2010 FISA World Rowing Championships in New Zealand at which Hong Kong won one gold medal; the 5th INAS-FID Open European Table Tennis Championships in Poland at which Hong Kong won ten medals: six gold, one silver and three bronze; the 2nd INAS-FID World Indoor Rowing Championships in Portugal at which Hong Kong won five medals: three silver and two bronze.

Hong Kong athletes also achieved excellent results at the 2010 Special Olympics East Asia (SOEA) Regional Athletic Meet in Macao, the 2010 SOEA Regional Badminton Competition in Hong Kong, the 2010 SOEA Regional Bowling Competition in Taiwan and the 2010 Special Olympics Korea National Summer Games in Korea, the 5th Special Olympics Games of the People's Republic of China in China. A total of 228 medals, comprising 122 gold, 63 silver and 43 bronze were won by the intellectually disabled athletes during the year.