Hong Kong primary school to set up HK$4 million fencing centre for pupils
- Training and competition facility, to be located at Po Leung Kuk Riverain Primary School in Ma On Shan, will provide space for school’s 800 pupils to give the sport a try
- Interest in fencing has soared since Hong Kong star Edgar Cheung won gold at Tokyo Olympics last month
The training and competition centre, to be located at Po Leung Kuk Riverain Primary School in Ma On Shan, will provide space for its about 800 pupils to give the sport a try. Children who are not from the school can also sign up for lessons at half the price of regular fencing classes.
“Fencing is an indoor sport which requires good physical fitness, quick reactions and a high level of concentration, and is very suitable for primary school pupils,” principal Choi Man-kwan said. “Hong Kong’s fencing athletes have also performed very well in different competitions.”
She added: “But the cost to learn fencing is not low, with equipment being quite expensive, while there is a lack of training places for pupils.”
The school’s ambitious plans come at a time when calls and inquiries have flooded local fencing schools, with many parents signing up their children for summer classes following soaring interest in the sport as a result of Cheung’s feat.
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Renovations taking place include installing a number of 14-metre long and 1.5-metre wide pistes – field of play in fencing – in the sheltered playground, school hall and multipurpose activity area.
The playground will also have an air-conditioning system and sliding glass doors to allow passers-by to observe the fencing sessions.
The new centre, expected to be completed by around 2023, will be able to hold competitions and promotional activities in cooperation with the Hong Kong Fencing Association or other sports groups.
The HK$4 million will include about HK$600,000 forked out by the school, with the rest expected to be funded by the Education Bureau’s Quality Education Fund, Sir David Trench Fund and the Po Leung Kuk Li Shiu Chung Quality Education Fund.
The Ma On Shan school first rolled out fencing sessions for Primary Two pupils – typically aged around seven – about two years ago during physical education classes, but plans to expand these lessons to all 800 students in the coming school year starting September.
Children with sporting potential who might follow in the footsteps of professional fencers would be selected to join the school team and participate in further training and competitions.
The school is also taking part in a government scheme aimed at opening up facilities for sports promotion, cooperating with sports associations to hold fencing lessons on weekends at around HK$120 per session with professional coaching – almost half the price of such classes offered by private institutions, which usually cost HK$200 to HK$300.
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According to Wu Siu-cheung, course director of Fencers Club Hong Kong (Kowloon) which is holding lessons for the school’s pupils, youngsters usually pick up a foil as it is easier to learn – the same event in which Cheung won his gold medal.
Choi, the principal, said it was important for parents to let their children explore different interests such as fencing.
“We do not think it is a must for us to be able to nurture a star athlete from our school, but it is always our responsibility to promote sports and cultural activities which are worthwhile,” she said.
