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Lee Wing-Sze

It is often said that real champions are the ones who consistently come out on top no matter what the circumstances.

Simply being recognised as a top student athlete in Hong Kong deserves high marks. After all, 35,000 were in contention for the Omega Rose Bowl Awards when school competitions began last autumn.

But all of this year's Sportsboy and Sportsgirl Award recipients have managed to win the prizes despite having to deal with looming final-year exams.

The annual presentation ceremony, organised by the Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation, was held at La Salle College yesterday morning.

Stealing much of the glory at the awards was basketball talent Tam Wai-yeung, 19, who picked up his fourth consecutive Sportsboy Award.

'I'm surprised winning this honour again this year as I had to prepare for the A-level exams and spent less time playing sports,' the Chong Gene Hang College student said.

'I think the award should go to all my teammates. I couldn't have done it without them.'

Hong Kong national team swimmer Sherry Tsai Hiu-wai, 18, claimed her third consecutive Sportsgirl prize and Daniel Bailey, 18, repeated his Co-ed Sportsboy honour of last year.

'The award is particularly special to me because this is the last time I can be nominated,' said the Diocesan Girls' School student, who is going to study management at Orange Coast College in the United States.

She thinks her achievements in swimming played a crucial part towards winning the award.

'I was not that involved in any other sports this year so I could focus on preparing for several major swimming events,' she said.

Rugby player Daniel, who played almost every weeknight this school year, felt that his hard work paid off.

'I was a little surprised to win, but I knew I was a stronger candidate than last year,' the Island School student said.

Managing time well and self-discipline helped win the award a second time, he said. 'I won more medals this year in rugby and football and did schoolwork when I had the time.'

Hong Kong under-19 hockey team captain Amanda Robertson, pipped rival Sandra Frankland to claim the Co-ed Sportsgirl Award for the first time.

Amanda, 18, also a student at Island School, was elated and confessed she hadn't expected to win the award.

'I am so surprised to win. It must have been close between me and Sandra [Frankland], but she is a great friend,' said Amanda, adding that she will take six months off after the exams before she begins studying at university in Australia in February.

Amanda, who coaches young children's mini-hockey, won the award for being a role model and leader on the sports field.

The host of the event, La Salle College, won this year's champion school in the boys' category, while Heep Yunn School were tops in the girls' section.

Island School clinched the Co-ed champion award while Most Progressive titles went to Kwun Tong Maryknoll College (boys'), St Mary's Canossian College (girls') and TWGH Lui Yun Choy Memorial College (Co-ed).

La Salle College beat rivals Diocesan Boys' School to the award for the third consecutive year.

The annual rivalry between the two schools has been uninterrupted for 19 years. The last boys' school to come even close were Wah Yan College, Hong Kong in 1984, when they finished second to La Salle.

The last school to win the award, other than one of these two sport powerhouses, were Ying Wah College, and that was back in 1971.

There has been only one name on the girls' champion prize for 17 years now - Heep Yunn School. Diocesan Girls' School have been runners-up every one of those times.

Island School have a phenomenal record in the Co-ed champion award.

The school have finished in either first or second place 31 times in the past 32 years.

This year was their fourth consecutive win and an intense and healthy rivalry with Hong Kong International School has emerged.

It is the sixth time in the past nine years that Hong Kong International School, which last won in 1998, have finished runners-up to Island School.



Best athletes keep getting better