26 October 2023 The Swimming Gala, which had been suspended for four years due to the pandemic, was finally held at the Kwun Tong Indoor Swimming Pool on 20th October. The new venue was filled with a lively and energetic atmosphere, marking the beginning of a new milestone. The swimmers dived into the water, showing off their swimming skills and speed, while their classmates filled the entire swimming pool with their well-rehearsed chants. Whenever a swimmer approached the finish line, students stood up and gave them a congratulatory cheer. This support made the participants work harder, showing their strength and perseverance. In addition, the relay race with teachers, students and parents won exceptional cheers and laughter. They did their best and showed team spirit. The Swimming Gala is not only a competition, but also a chance for teachers, students and parents to build a connection. It is a platform for communication, and everyone completed the activities in a joyful atmosphere. When I watched the students showcase their swimming skills and determination in the water, I was reminded of the recent Asian Games in Hangzhou, where a group of young athletes achieved great results that will go down in the history books for Hong Kong, China. I couldn't help but cheer for them. I especially admire the swimming champion Siobhan Bernadette Haughey. After the Hangzhou Asian Games, she has been competing non-stop in the Swimming World Cup for three consecutive weeks and achieved great results. Her extraordinary ability and perseverance makes me admire and respect her. Siobhan Bernadette Haughey has a tremendous love and passion for swimming. Her desire for swimming drives her to continue to invest in training and competition. This enthusiasm keeps her highly interested and motivated in the sport she loves, and enables her to endure even in the face of difficulties and challenges. I hope students can learn from her example, seek passion and interest in life, and stay thirsty and hungry for lifelong learning. This is the same in all avenues of life, whether it be sports, studies or work. As the Bible says, we are to "present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God; this is your service It is a matter of course.” (Romans 12:1) If the fragrance of life infects other lives, society will become more dynamic. I still remember when more than a decade ago, and I was the head of the Mathematics Department, a PE teacher sought my help to provide extra mathematics support for a student. Her mathematics foundation was very weak, and she was absent from lessons due to long-term training and competitions in other places. She was unable to keep up with her classes in S4 and had to repeat the level. The PE teacher wanted me to provide her with a tutorial class during summer vacation so that she would not have her studies affected by mathematics when she repeated S4. I accepted the invitation, but since I was living on Hong Kong Island at the time, I didn’t do the tutorial at school in Kowloon. I asked the student to come to my home for make-up classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m. She travelled on public transport every day for one hour, arriving at my house on time every day, and then took a 3-hour maths tutorial followed by another hour-long journey to the Hong Kong Sports Institute for training. She didn’t skip any classes. She may have learned the basics of mathematics from me, but I learned a lot from her. I appreciate the perseverance and endurance of athletes, overcoming fatigue and pressure, insisting on training every day, and staying focused on pursuing their goals. Later, when I became her class Maths teacher, it was easier for me to teach her in a whole class setting and understand her math difficulties better. In the end, I was glad to see her pass in mathematics in the public exam and start her career as an elite athlete. Later, she chose to become a full-time athlete. This was an extremely challenging and lonely choice. Without strong determination and psychological quality, it would have been difficult to take this career path. Many years later, I once saw a news report about her. She shared how she overcame a 7-year athletic career with no progress or support, and experienced many injuries. In the end, after all the hardships, she achieved her goal and ran her personal best. That result along with breaking the Hong Kong record made me shed tears in my heart. I was very moved and proud of her. She deserved it. There are so many inspiring stories from athletes. Let’s cheer them on. We believe that building a healthy attitude towards sports and exercise can help students train for endurance, continuous persistence and teamwork. This is our purpose in establishing the "One Music, One Sport, One Art Policy" in Junior Secondary. We hope that students will seek the learning opportunity and work hard to build an interest and chase their dream.
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