Hong Kong Olympic gold medallist Vivian Kong joins students on mainland study tour

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Gigi Wu Wan-zhi, 12, has her sights set on studying at the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music in Hangzhou, China, after an eye-opening trip to the campus as part of a study tour.

Gigi was part of a group of 80 Hong Kong students who participated in the five-day study tour under the government’s Strive and Rise Programme over the summer.

“I love music and saw the facilities, like the theatre, at the campus, and I became even more interested in pursuing music,” she said, adding that she has been taking guitar lessons. “I aspire to be a music teacher, and it would be great if I could enrol here.”

The trip taught the students about Hangzhou’s cultural heritage and technological developments. They visited West Lake, the city’s urban planning exhibition hall, museums, the headquarters of car manufacturer Geely, and the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music.

The highlight of the trip was meeting Olympic gold medallist Vivian Kong Man-wai, who recently joined the tour’s sponsor, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, as an assistant external affairs manager.

Kong, who won gold in the women’s epée finals at the Paris Olympics, participated throughout the trip and cheered on the students.

The trip also included a tour of the Hangzhou Chenjinglun Sports School, which has produced many national champions. The students had the chance to play sports with some of Hangzhou’s top junior athletes.

Annie Yu Mei-yung, 15, said the picturesque West Lake left a deep impression, while aspiring accountant Jack Tsang Yim-pan, 15, enjoyed the visit to Geely, which helped him learn more about China’s car industry.

“The visit to Geely showed me that China’s cars are very developed. I saw a big four-wheel drive that was also an electric vehicle, which surprised me because I thought jeeps could only run on gas,” Jack said, adding that he wants to purchase the car in the future.

Chan Kui-yu, 17, is interested in pursuing a career that allows her to explore her interest in Chinese culture. She found the Liangzhu Museum fascinating as it displayed artefacts from a 5,000-year-old civilisation.

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She was also impressed by Hangzhou’s hi-tech companies after the visits to Geely headquarters and start-ups developing artificial intelligence (AI), which refreshed her impression of the city.

Lau Chung-yan, 14, said she was grateful for the study tour, which allowed her to learn without creating a financial burden.

Her mentor is Amy Chan Lim-chee, a retired badminton player from Hong Kong who won gold medals in the World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

Chan, also headmistress of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Apprentice Jockeys’ School, said she has seen Chung-yan become more extroverted during their mentorship.

Chung-yan has learned a lot from her mentor: “She taught me values and how to be a better person,” she said. “She listens to me and provides guidance. She does not solve problems for me directly but gives me advice on how I can solve them myself. I hope to learn more from her.”