Explainer | How much money do Hong Kong’s Paralympians win for a medal? How does it compare to what’s rewarded to Olympic medallists?
- Olympic gold medal winners pocket HK$5 million as part of scheme while Para athletes get HK$800,000 for solo golds
- Paralympic delegation looking to add to six medals won at Rio 2016 Games five years ago and 12 at London 2012
One story from Hong Kong’s most successful Olympics in history was what the athletes won beyond their medals.
Gold medal winning fencer Edgar Cheung Ka-long also pocketed HK$5 million as part of the Henderson Land Commendation Scheme for Elite Athletes.
Under the scheme, sponsored by real estate developer Henderson Land, Olympians reaped financial rewards for gold, silver and bronze medals in Tokyo plus any finish between fourth and eighth place.
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The road to Olympic gold for Hong Kong’s unassuming fencing hero, Edgar Cheung Ka-long
Cheung was the only one of the Hong Kong delegation to win gold but Siobhan Haughey’s silvers were worth HK$2.5 million and Sarah Lee Wai-tze’s bronze earned her HK$1.25 million.
Hong Kong’s women’s table tennis team – Doo Hoi-kem, Lee Ho-ching and Minnie Soo Wai-yam – shared HK$2.5 million for winning a team bronze.
Elsewhere, badminton mixed doubles pair Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet missed out on bronze but shared HK1.25 million for finishing fourth.
The Henderson Land Commendation Scheme for Elite Athletes is in place for the 2020 Paralympic Games what do Hong Kong’s Para athletes stand to earn for winning medals in Tokyo?
Once again the incentives are divided into individual and team rewards with a gold medal winning solo athlete set to pocket HK$800,000.
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Fencer Edgar Cheung’s Olympic gold victory triggers joy and inspiration in Hong Kong
Individuals will win HK$400,000 for silver and HK$200,000 for bronze while fourth place is worth HK$100,000 and fifth to eighth is worth HK$50,000.
In team events the rewards are doubled, starting at HK$1.6 million for gold medal winning teams.
They will compete across eight sports in Tokyo – archery, athletics, badminton, boccia, equestrian, swimming, table tennis and wheelchair fencing.
The city’s athletes have been much more successful on the Paralympic stage compared to the Olympics over the years.
Dating back to their first Paralympic Games in 1972, Para athletes representing Hong Kong have won 40 golds, 37 silvers and 49 bronzes.
Most of those medals have come since the Olympic and Paralympic calendars allied with Seoul 1988.
Hong Kong won two gold, two silver and two bronze in Rio five years ago, and 12 medals at London 2012 – three gold, three silver and six bronze.
