Hong Kong rugby stars and an All Black legend have joined a campaign tied to the Hong Kong Sevens tournament to encourage busy Hongkongers to pay attention to their physical and mental well-being, and lead more balanced and healthy lives. Salom Yiu Kam-shing and Chong Ka-yan, who have both represented Hong Kong at the Sevens, and New Zealand legend John Kirwan, are backing the initiative. “Hong Kong is a very stressful, fast-paced place to live and work; many people find it hard to escape all the hustle and bustle and stress,” says women’s sevens player Chong. Her advice? Consider exercise as an outlet for stress. “Once you devote time to do a bit of exercise, even if you’re not about getting super fit or whatever, you will find yourself able to remove yourself from the stresses and use [exercise] to clear your mind.” Yiu and Chong agree that physical and mental well-being are interlinked and have affected their performance in the past. Yiu has worked with a psychologist to help him cope with stress on the pitch. He used to wallow in negativity after a failed score or conversion attempt, but now he takes a more positive attitude. “If things get tense, I’d replay my best runs, conversions or goals to remind myself what I’m capable of and to stay positive,” he says. Rugby has taught Chong important life lessons too. The 1.57-metre (5 foot, one-inch) tall, 50kg (110lb) player has learned that, by building her agility and speed, she can be a strong performer despite her diminutive stature. “Things I thought I couldn’t achieve before, I can definitely do … it’s mind over matter,” said the 25-year-old. Yiu, aged 30, learned about perseverance and resilience through rugby. After the Hong Kong team lost in the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014 to Japan, the athlete took a step back from the game, citing burnout. “I wasn’t sure I had another Asian Games in me,” he said. But after a break, during which he cleared his mind and gained a renewed sense of vigour and enthusiasm for the sport, he returned for another Asian Games campaign. The Hong Kong squad defeated Japan 14-0 at the 2018 Asian Games to clinch the gold last year. “The last four years have taught me to look at what went wrong … remain positive and learn from such experiences,” he says. Yiu and Chong will feature in a “Job Swap” online video campaign featuring them temporarily taking over the roles of two locals, a waiter and a tour guide, to allow these employees to get time off for a health check-up or to boost their mental well-being. At the Hong Kong Sevens Fanzone on the Central Harbourfront on March 31, Yiu and Chong will also be on hand for a community yoga session, which is open to the public. Yogi twins Agnes and Faris Chan will lead the group. A Wellness Summit at the Island Shangri-La hotel in Admiralty on April 4 will feature six speakers talking about mental health. All Blacks legend Kirwan, who has spoken publicly about his battle with depression, will share his personal experience. This invitation-only summit will also feature a mindfulness meditation workshop. Global health insurance company Cigna, the Hong Kong Sevens sponsor, rolled out the “Converting Hearts and Minds” campaign this month. “There’s a strong link between mental health and well-being and physical health,” says Cigna CEO of Asia Pacific Patrick Graham. “We believe [it’s] our responsibility to talk about this.”