Background information of the Programme
BOC Youth Development Programme sponsored by the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (“BOCHK”) and organized by the Hong Kong Fencing Association (HKFA), bringing fencing to different districts and social classes, especially for under-privileged students. With provision of professional technical support, our programme assists schools to develop and participate in the fencing. Our programme targets students from primary 4 to 6 in Hong Kong, to foster their interest in sports and strengthen their habits of regular exercise, cultivate youth team spirit, and promote positive messages as the importance of physical and mental health, as well as the sense of teamwork through systematic training.
BOCHK as a mainstream banking group with the most extensive branch network in Hong Kong, not only played a vital role in Hong Kong’s economic development but also contributed to youth development and cultivate sports culture in Hong Kong. The BOCHK has brought sports to different districts and social classes, contribute extensively to the local sports development among local students and establish a healthy lifestyle. BOCHK Youth Development Programme adhering the concept of sustainable development encourages primary school students to develop positive characters and sportsmanship through fencing, constant training and participation in competitions. This will broaden their horizons, and all-rounded development of morality, intelligence, physique, social and aesthetics.
BOCHK Youth Development Programme will be held in three phases starting from October 2020 to December 2021. There will be a total of 12-15 primary schools and 3,500-4,000 students taking part in this programme.
Participating schools only required to recruit students to participate and provide a venue for daily training. It is a free of charge programme for primary schools and students. Participating schools will obtain a set of qualified training equipment and training will be provided by professional instructors. Aftering joining the schools programme, students would have an opportunity participate in district competitions and cultural exchange tour. Habit of regular exercise and sportsmanship can be developed during the daily fencing practice and learn to embrace challenge as a fundamental part of sports.
About Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited
As a leading commercial and internationalised regional bank with roots firmly planted in Hong Kong for over 100 years, BOCHK has long been committed to the mission of “serving where our roots are”. The Bank supports community development and the underprivileged through various means, and shares our achievements with society so as to facilitate social harmony and cohesion. In addition, with the most extensive branch network in Hong Kong, BOCHK provides convenient banking and financial services to people from various sectors of society as well as supporting the development of SMEs. It actively undertakes CSR in the places where it operates, in order to create greater value for stakeholders and communities, and to contribute to the long-term development and prosperity of Hong Kong.
About Hong Kong Fencing Association
After World War II, fencing became ones of the popular sports in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Amateur Fencing Association founded in 1949, and later affiliated to the International Fencing Federation and the British Empire Fencing Federation (now the Commonwealth Fencing Federation) and later renamed as Hong Kong Fencing Association.
The Inter-School Fencing Competition (Hong Kong Island) has been held starting from 1960. Fencers from local elite schools have actively participated and created a competitive atmosphere. The Inter-School Fencing Competition in the New Territories has also been held a year later in 1970. After Hong Kong fencing athletes winning the third place in the Asian Games in Bangkok in 1978, Hong Kong team continuously achieved excellent results in different fencing competitions. The government has granted more subsidies to the sports industry recent years and provides better training venues and equipment for athletes, takes Hong Kong fencing athletes closer to world standards and winning medals for Hong Kong in international competitions.
Years of youth development cultivated many young fencers in Hong Kong until the millennium. Edgar Cheung Ka-long won the Men's foil individual gold medal in the 2016 Asian Fencing Championships, achieved Hong Kong's best-ever result at the Asian Championships. In the following year, he also won the Men's foil gold medal at the Junior World Fencing Championships, became the first world junior champion in the Hong Kong history.
In 2018, Hsieh Kaylin Sin-yan won the individual gold medal in the Junior Women’s Epee at the Junior World Fencing Championships. She was the third Hong Kong athlete won the gold medal in this competition. With her success, made Hong Kong equip with youth champions in foil, epee and sabre.
Moreover, Vivian Kong Man-wai ranked world No. 1 in the Women's epee and maintained good results. She won the Women's epee individual bronze medal at the World Fencing Championships in the historical year for Hong Kong, the first Hong Kong athlete winning the best year-end ranking athlete awarded by the International Fencing Federation.
In 2020, the Men’s foil team won the Olympic qualification for the first time in history and having two Hong Kong athletes ranked world top 16 in the Fencing Federation Men’s foil individual ranking, they are Ryan Choi Chun-yin and Edgar Cheung Ka-long ranked no. twelve and fourteenth respectively.
