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A modified games tournament first organised in 2002 by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department for primary school students has grown into an annual major school sports event, with more than 5,100 students from 300 primary schools taking part this year.
At the 2007 Inter-school Easy Sport Competition at Shek Kip Mei Park today (April 28), schoolchildren competed in 13 sports - badminton, basketball, cricket, dragon dance, fencing, handball, netball, rugby football, shuttlecock, squash, table tennis, mini-tennis and soft volleyball - that have rules and equipment specially adapted to suit their physiques.
Speaking at the competition's opening ceremony, the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Leisure Services), Mr Vincent Liu, said Easy Sport was one of the subsidiary programmes of the School Sports Programme that had made particularly remarkable progress.
“The number of Easy Sport training courses has increased nine-fold from an initial 233 to 2,010 this year. Student attendance of such courses has risen from 5,419 to more than 50,000.”
Activities in 23 easy sports are organised in primary schools with the assistance of National Sports Associations.
Mr Liu attributed the sustained momentum of the School Sports Programme to the support of the community and the concerted efforts of the sports and education sectors.
The School Sports Programme, launched in 2001, promotes sports among primary and secondary students through coaching, demonstrations, talks, volunteers training and visits to sports facilities.
The programme is funded by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and organised by various National Sports Associations with assistance from the Education and Manpower Bureau, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University.
Also officiating at today's Easy Sport Competition was the Convenor of the Student Sports Activities Co-ordinating Sub-committee of the Community Sports Committee, Mr John Fan Kam-ping.
Between competitions, students, parents and teachers tried their hands at duathlon, orienteering, sport climbing and squash and took physical fitness tests.
Certificates of appointment were presented at today's ceremony to 18 School Sports Ambassadors - outstanding local athletes who had pledged to promote sports in schools throughout the year.
Schools interested in joining the School Sports Programme are welcome to download the enrolment form from the department's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk or contact the School Sports Programme Unit of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 2601 7602.
Ends/Saturday, April 28, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:21
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