“HKSI SportX Day” Returns to Empower Youth Through Multi-Sport Exposure. New sports science experience workshops offer fresh perspectives on sport and performance
Funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and organised by the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI), the Jockey Club Sports PLUS Elite Athletes Community Programme flagship activity – HKSI SportX Day (SportX Day) – returned with resounding success on 2 and 3 May 2026, following its well-received debut last year.
Aimed at enabling young people to engage closely with local elite athletes and gain first-hand insight into elite sports training, the two-day event attracted over 1,000 primary and secondary school students. Through a wide range of sports experiences and interactive learning activities, participants explored their sporting interests and potential, while gaining a deeper appreciation of the value of sport and its positive impact.
During SportX Day, the young participants were able to try various types of sports experiences as they discovered their interests and tested their abilities. Not only did they learn the basics of golf, fencing, karatedo, rowing and wushu from local elite athletes and coaches, they were offered a unique opportunity to interact with the elite athletes and gain an appreciation of their passionate journeys and the perseverance required to reach the summit of their sports.
This year’s SportX Day featured new Sports Science Experience Workshops, enabling youngsters to understand the key elements of sports performance from both theoretical and practical perspectives.
The Speed Training and Performance Enhancement Workshop introduced sprint techniques and the principles of speed training through scientific demonstrations and explanations, helping students understand the importance of systematic training. Meanwhile, the Nutrition and Athletic Performance Workshop provided students with basic sports nutrition knowledge. Students also attempted to design balanced meal plans for athletes to better understand the relationship between diet and training outcomes. In addition, a Sports Physiotherapy and Rehabilitative Training Workshop introduced the practical applications of sports medicine in injury prevention and performance support.
During the event, head coaches also shared their experiences in sport and athlete development, encouraging youngsters to strive for continuous improvement both in sport and in life.
Wushu Coach Wong Chi-kwong, now in his second year participating in the “SportX Day,” commended the students for their level of engagement “The event allows students to step into the HKSI and experience a high-level training environment, as well as to understand the focus required by wushu. Students actively participate in every movement and showed curiosity about the different wushu disciplines, which fully reflects the event’s important role in cultivating athletic literacy and uncovering potential.”
This year, golf was officially included as one of the Hong Kong Sports Institute’s (HKSI) Tier A Sports and became one of the experiential activities at the “SportX Day”. Golf Head Coach Tim Tang attended the event and provided students with an introduction to the sport. He remarked: “Due to venue constraints, promoting golf in schools has never been easy. Being able to introduce the sport to several hundred students at once through this event is truly a rare opportunity. The students showed particular interest in the Golf Simulator room, through which they gained a deeper understanding of how posture analysis and data application can enhance athletic performance. This also highlighted the professionalism of sports development.”
Fencing Coach Tse Yu-ming also participated in the “SportX Day” for the first time. He was deeply impressed by the students’ enthusiasm for the sport. He said: “Thanks to the outstanding achievements of our local fencers in international competitions, fencing has grown increasingly popular in Hong Kong. Seeing students inspired by these sporting heroes is truly heartening. The “SportX Day” indeed provides a highly effective platform for participants to gain insight into the most professional aspects of fencing. It not only attracts youth curious about fencing to try the sport, but also motivates them to pursue further development in the discipline.”
Rower Leung King-wan, commented: “HKSI SportX Day was a great success for all involved. The young participants were exposed to and learned about sports they might have never even heard of through some really fun activities. For us as athletes, we got the priceless opportunity to inspire the next generation and to pass on the experience we learned when we were their age.”
Karatedo athlete Nuri Wong, said: “I am delighted to be invited to take part in this meaningful event these past two days. Karatedo has taught me so much, not just as an athlete but also as a person – the values of discipline, respect, patience, and perseverance. I hope that the young people participating today will become more actively engaged in sports from now on.”
As the finale of SportX Day, 2025 Badminton Asian Champions Mixed Doubles Gold Medallists and two-time BWF World Championship Bronze Medallists, Tse Ying-suet and Tang Chun-man were invited as guest speakers. They shared how they built resilience in the face of challenges and emphasised the importance of setting clear goals, so encouraging students to pursue their dreams step by step with determination.
Tse said: “Chun-man and I have partnered for many years, and although we have achieved some good results, we have also experienced many failures that once made me question whether I should continue. The greatest learning comes from perseverance and from getting back up after a heavy loss or injury. I really wanted to bring this message to the participants today: By staying resilient and maintaining an optimistic mindset, things can always get better.”
Tang added: “People often only see the joy after victory, but behind every achievement lies tremendous effort and sacrifice. This is the only path to success, in both sport and life.”
The two-day event engaged nearly 1,000 primary and secondary school students from 21 primary schools, 8 secondary schools and 2 youth organizations.
