Freshly crowned as one of Hong Kong's sporting superstars, table tennis doubles champion Ko Lai-chak should be basking in the glory of hard-won victory. The Asian Games gold medallist last month returned triumphantly from the Doha competition where he had proved his mettle against the best the region had to offer.
Yet the glow of success seems to be diminishing for the champion, a silver medallist at the Athens Olympics. Like many of his peers, Ko is facing the grim reality of a demanding training schedule without the use of the Sports Institute facilities in Sha Tin.
While Hong Kong is heralding its pivotal role in hosting the equestrian events of the 2008 Olympics, the closure of Sha Tin's training and accommodation facility for a two-year overhaul before the Games has sparked alarm among the city's elite athletes, as well as drawing criticism from local residents and schools in the area.
Thousands are affected by the decision to host the equestrian events in Hong Kong. Deep in preparation for the two-week Olympics, about 600 sportsmen have lost their one-house-for-all training ground. At least 2,000 local residents have lost their place for recreational sports, and thousands of students from at least 100 schools in the Sha Tin area will have less chance to exercise and train.
From this week, Ko and 600 athletes will be based at a temporary site at the Chinese YMCA Wu Kai Sha youth village in Ma On Shan.
The new quarters are spartan compared with their traditional home. Apart from a fencing hall, several tennis and basketball courts, there are no other facilities, not even for focus sports such as badminton, table tennis and squash. The shift means athletes will have to travel daily to various parts of Hong Kong for training.
Ko and his men's double champion partner, Li Ching, will be bussed to a public table tennis venue at Tai Po for training. At lunch, they will be sent back to the camp for meals, and an hour or so later they will return to Tai Po.