Beijing congratulates Hong Kong Olympians for keeping the ‘spirit of Lion Rock’ alive in Paris

The Lion Rock Spirit style was born in the 1970s and refers to the positive attitude of Hong Kong people, especially the baby boom generation, when the economy was growing at a rapid pace.

The bureau noted that they also showcased the spirit and attitude of Hong Kong’s younger generation and how they were pursuing their dreams for a new era while writing a new chapter in the city’s history.

“The homeland is proud of you. The Office extends its heartfelt congratulations,” the statement reads.

It was also expressed hope that the athletes would continue to uphold the Olympic spirit and the Chinese sports spirit, inspiring all Hong Kong people with even better performance to concentrate their efforts and strive for economic progress and development.

The Hong Kong team won two gold and two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics, the highest total in the city’s history in terms of gold medals.

By comparison, athletes from Tokyo won one gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

Épéeist Vivian Kong Man-wai, 30, won the gold medal this year, while 27-year-old Cheung Ka-long made history by winning two gold medals in a row in fencing at the Paris and Tokyo Games.

Siobhan Haughey, 26, took bronze in the 100m freestyle final, finishing just 0.17 seconds behind winner Sarah Sjostrom, the world record holder, who clocked 52.16.

Haughey also won a bronze medal in the 200m freestyle with a time of 1:54.55.

She also made history as the only Hong Kong swimmer to win medals in both the 100- and 200-metre freestyle at two Olympic Games.

In 2021, Beijing also congratulated Hong Kong athletes who won medals in Tokyo.

A bureau spokesman at the time said the athletes’ performances reflected how the younger generation was pursuing their dreams with positive values. He added that their performances gave Hong Kong a strong positive energy as it returned to stability.

The statements echo the impact of anti-government protests in 2019, which prompted Beijing to impose a national security law on the city a year later.

City leader Lee on Sunday thanked Beijing for celebrating the Hong Kong team’s success on social media, while also extending “sincere congratulations” to the athletes for their historic achievements and expressing gratitude to all sectors for their strong support.

He said that the athletes showed extraordinary skills at the Olympic Games in Paris and achieved historic results.

“Every athlete gave their all and unleashed their full potential. Regardless of the results, everyone showed determination, perseverance and professionalism,” Lee said, adding that he was deeply inspired.

The CEO said that for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the Hong Kong Sports Institute’s annual government funding amounted to HK$941.6 million (US$120.7 million), an increase of about 40% compared to 2019-20.

He added that the estimated expenditure on sports development in 2024-2025 will be about HK$7.9 billion, more than twice as much as a decade earlier.

Lee noted the increase in government funding for sports in recent years and expressed confidence in the future success of Hong Kong athletes in major events.

He added that several major sporting events will be taking place soon, including the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games at the end of August.

“I am confident that various sectors will continue to support Hong Kong athletes to shine in competitions, showing the indomitable spirit of Hong Kong,” Lee said.

Professor Patrick Lau Wing-chung of the Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health at Baptist University has called on national sports associations to step up efforts to identify potential athletes for elite training, as well as to increase transparency in the selection process for candidates for international competitions.

He added that the Sports Federation and the Hong Kong Olympic Committee in China should also improve the management of such associations to minimize the number of disputes.

Lau added that the sports institute could invite more foreign coaches to the city to give training an international touch, and also collaborate with more universities in the city on research to improve athletes’ performance.

The expert also called on the city to promote elite sports, urging the government to buy the rights to broadcast the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles, as it did this time.

“Broadcasting rights can cost more than HK$100 million… If the media did not have to consider such costs, they could put much more effort into sports promotion and commentary to promote sports for all and elite sports,” Lau said.

He added that the government could also consider buying the rights to broadcast the Winter Olympics, if possible.