Hong Kong swimming legend Robyn Lamsam and deaf son raise HK$180,000 in round-the-island Weez Walk

Five-year-old Kyle joins Olympian mother in a 70km walk to raise money for Hong Kong youth mental health programmes

‘We need to take every opportunity to educate people and dispel any crazy stigmas around Hong Kong,’ says Lamsam

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Hong Kong swimming legend Robyn Lamsam’s son, Kyle, walking around Hong Kong Island for the Weez Project’s Weez Walk 2022 campaign. Photo: Handout

Published: 11:30am, 13 Mar 2022

Olympic swimmer Robyn Lamsam has been instilling her positive attitude in her young son Kyle since the day he was diagnosed as being profoundly deaf in both ears.

The five-year-old proudly sported his “magic ears” – crucial cochlear implants – while holding his mother’s hand as they embarked on a 70km charity walk around Hong Kong Island.

Mother and son raised nearly HK$180,000 for Weez Walk, a part of the Weez Project campaign started by the parents of 15-year-old Jamie Pearce, who killed himself in 2017..

The annual event welcomes walkers of all backgrounds, with proceeds this year going to local non-profit KELY Support Group to deliver preventive mental health programmes for local youths.

Weez Walk has raised more than HK$1.4 million so far, with entrants and organisers making a last push for donations before Sunday’s deadline.

Lamsam, who represented Hong Kong at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics aged 14, won an Asian Games silver medal, and broke 21 national swimming records, said her family’s positive attitude and tenacity she needed as an elite athlete “had seeped into Kyle”.

Robyn Lamsam (right) with teammates (from left) Katie Lau, Fenella Ng and Vivian Lee after winning the Asian Games silver medal in Japan in 1994. Photo: Handout

“I’m just so proud of him and the fact that he walked 70km – we did 54km in three consecutive days – and he just had the most happy-go-lucky spirit,” she said