Cycling continued its dominance of the Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards last night with Kwok Ho-ting bagging the top prize after being named the 'Best of the Best'.
At a glittering ceremony at the Exhibition and Convention Centre in Wan Chai, Kwok, who won the 2011 scratch race at the world championships in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, last year, beat seven other Sports Stars of the Year to the top honour. A total of 53 athletes were nominated by their sports' governing bodies for the 2011 Sports Stars Awards. Eight were shortlisted after a vote comprising a judging panel (60 per cent), the sports media (20 per cent) and a public ballot (20 per cent). The athlete with the highest number - Kwok - was crowned the 'Best of the Best'.
Each of the eight received HK$30,000 and Kwok was rewarded with an additional HK$50,000.
The 23-year-old became the third cyclist in the past six years to receive Hong Kong's sporting 'Oscar'. Veteran rider Wong Kam-po, who was not nominated this time around, won the honour for 2006, 2007 and 2010, while BMX rider Steven Wong, who has recently shifted to road racing, received the award for 2009. The only time a cyclist has missed the honour in recent years was in 2008, when disabled sprinter So Wa-wai won.
Kwok, who has been training in Guangzhou since returning from last week's World Cup series in London, said in a pre-recorded video message that he was surprised and honoured to win the top prize.
'I am so happy because this is the first time I have been nominated,' said the youngster, who is now in his final build-up for the London Olympics this summer with the omnium event his top priority. 'I did not expect to become one of the eight Sports Stars, and certainly not 'Best of the Best'. I must thank my coach and teammate Wong Kam-po as they have both played important roles in my career. Also, I have been training and competing away from Hong Kong a lot, so the support and understanding of my family has been crucial to my success.'