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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

Established in 1973, the association plans, runs and markets seven youth hostels. It has more than 30,000 individual and corporate members, and is also an affiliate of Hostelling International, which has over four million members worldwide.

The seven hostels each features different characteristics. The flagship is the YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel, which was transformed from a six-storey resettlement block in Shek Kip Mei that formed part of Hong Kong's first public housing. In June, the association joined hands with Mainland Chinese and Taiwanese associates to organise a cultural exchange tour at Mei Ho House. More than 25 youngsters learned about housing development in these three regions.

The association's annual Ngong Ping Charity Walk, held in January at North Lantau Island Country Park, attracted 1,200 participants and raised much needed funds for hostel enhancement, environmental protection and the association's conservation projects.

Sporting Achievements

At the 2016 Asian Cycling Championships held in Japan, Cheung King-lok took three gold medals in the individual time trial and road race of the elite men's division and the track race of the elite men's 4km individual pursuit. Sarah Lee Wai-sze took gold in the women elite keirin of track cycling and attained another gold in the women's sprint of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup - the Netherlands. Billiards player Marco Fu Ka-chun was crowned champion in the 2016 Scottish Open. The teams of Ng On-yee and Wan Ka-kai as well as Jaique Ip and Cheung Ka-wai won the ladies pairs and mixed pairs respectively at the World Ladies Snooker Championship 2016 in England. Cheung Ka-long took gold in the 2016 Asian Fencing Championships in Wuxi, China, becoming the first home-grown male Asian fencing champion.

Disabled boccia player Leung Yuk-wing was nominated for the second year for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability. He is Hong Kong's first and only Laureus nominee so far. Apart from that, the Hong Kong delegation achieved brilliant results at the Rio Paralympic Games in September by winning two golds, two silvers and two bronzes. Tang Wai- lok and Leung Yuk-wing won a gold each in swimming and boccia respectively, with Tang Wai- lok also setting a new Paralympic record in the $14 men's 200 metres freestyle event.

Young athletes put up excellent performances as well. Jada Nichole He, 10, won gold in the girls' gunshu group C of the 6th World Junior Wushu Championships, while windsurfing athlete Mak Cheuk-wing, 13, became the junior U15 girls champion at the Techno 293 World Championships 2016. Leung Hoi-wah, 17, took gold in the junior women's points race at the 2016 Asian Cycling Championships.

In other accomplishments, squash player Leo Au Chun-ming was awarded the Outstanding Asian Men's Player of the Year by the Asian Squash Federation to honour his remarkable achievements in 2015. Chan Yuen-ting, as head coach of Eastern Football Club, was recognised by the Guinness World Records in May as the first female coach to have led a professional men's team to a top-league championship. At the year end, the Asian Football Confederation honoured her as Women's Coach of the Year.

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