After enjoying great success last year, four Zespri Outstanding Junior Athletes Award winners - windsurfer Crystal Man Ka-kei, table tennis player Kenneth Chiu Chung-hei, and wushu athletes Juanita Mok Uen-ying and Rex Wong Chun-wai - were lucky enough to go on a six-day cultural exchange tour to New Zealand earlier this month.
The nation is known for its kiwi fruit and the athletes were able to visit the kiwi fruit farm in Mount Maunganui run by Zespri, the kiwi fruit producer that sponsors the awards.
Kenneth, 17, said he was interested to learn about the nutritional value of the fruit. 'I haven't come across the detailed facts of the kiwi fruit at school. And we were able to eat dishes cooked with kiwi fruit.'
The athletes also visited a local sheep farm, where Crystal had a chance to shave the wool off a sheep. 'The sheep kept moving when we shaved it, even though the workers were holding them tight. It was the first time I'd done such work. It was very funny,' said Crystal, also 17.
Rex had a chance to carry out the duties of a shepherd and had to guide the sheep as they entered three different gates. 'There are marks on the sheep's head and I needed to guide them to enter the correct gate. The shepherd got it all correct in the demonstration, but we made some mistakes,' said Rex, 16.
Among the activities Kenneth liked most was being able to experience the feeling of free fall at a theme park. 'I felt like I was Superman there; I don't get this feeling from my sport.'