Games supremo apologies for Hong Kong's lack of success but hopes to take leaf out of Australia's book

The 2000 Sydney Olympics has mostly been a ceremonial exercise for Hong Kong - and more than 100 other countries. Participation at the Olympics has focused around the proud display of the flag at the opening and last night's closing ceremony, and in-between fleeting appearances in the harbour, pool, arena, court or track.

Bar Atlanta four years ago, when Lee Lai-shan won a gold medal, Hong Kong returns home today true to form with nothing to boast of but upholding the fine Olympic ideal of having taken part.

'That is not enough any more,' said Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, president of the Hong Kong Sports Federation and Olympic Committee. 'We must forget the old tradition that what matters is taking part and playing the game. We must now take part to win.'

His dream is that one fine day Hong Kong will become sports-mad like Sydney and the rest of Australia. He prays that day is not too far away.

If Fok gets his way next month, these Olympics, the first of the new millennium, could be the start of a new and exciting journey into uncharted waters.

'We won no medals in Sydney and I must apologise for that as this was our first Olympic Games after the handover. But I hope that in this defeat could be the birth of a new culture in Hong Kong - a sports culture,' said Fok.