AT Queen's College, all eyes were on two bespectacled, studious-looking young men when the Hong Kong School Certificate Examination (HKCEE) results came out yesterday. In spite of the glamour surrounding the 10 As students, study pals and exam veterans Lam Hei-ling and William Gordon Chu Man-ming took their glory in stride.
''I feel like a player from England's Manchester United when they clinched their league championship last year!'' said football fan Man-ming, who is also a staunch supporter of the US National Basketball Association's (NBA) Phoenix team.
Hei-ling's immediate reaction to such a stunning result was a casual: ''Perhaps I have what people call exam luck.'' Besides English, Chinese and Maths, the two science students also achieved distinctions in Additional Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Computer Studies and Principles of Accounts. Hei-ling's grades were all in the A(1) category, while Man-ming had two A(2)s in Additional Maths and Economics.
''The biggest factor in my success is really chance. I was a little startled at the results, because I haven't always been so outstanding,'' Man-ming said.
Classmates who cheered loudly at the success of the champions expressed no surprise at their ''calligraphy expert'' Hei-ling's brilliant achievement.
''I usually set very high standards for myself,'' Hei-ling said. His formula seems all very simple: ''I believe in paying attention in class so I don't have to work long hours.'' Having a teaching mother and a father who lectures at the Baptist College has had a definite academic influence on piano-player Hei-ling.
''I'm very adapted to Hong Kong's exam system,'' he said. ''It's not that horrible, although luck counts sometimes. My advice is: don't be a rote-learner and don't give up too easily.'' Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphy Club in Form 4, sixteen-year-old Hei-ling loves ball-pen and fountain-pen calligraphy and has won several prizes in public contests.