New Stars

 

Taekwondo

Taekwondo is not only a martial art, but also a captivating sport. Through Taekwondo, one can improve physical health, and understand the etiquette and martial spirit behind, thereby helping develop a positive mindset. In this issue, two Taekwondo elites, Lam Siu-wai, a member of the Hong Kong, China Taekwondo Squad, and Chan Chung-yin, a member of the Hong Kong, China Taekwondo Association’s Poomsae Team, were invited to share how Taekwondo has changed their lives.

Staying true to herself - Lam Siu-wai

Lam Siu-wai had been sports-averse since childhood. The physical education lessons at school were the only occasions in which she would do a bit exercise. Not until twelve did she first come to know Taekwondo during a school performance. A performer on stage yelled out and beautifully broke a thick wooden board in half with a kick. Seeing such a performance got her adrenalin pumping. As a coincidence, one of her friends was interested in Taekwondo. That was how an inseparable bond between Lam and Taekwondo has forged since then.

After basic Taekwondo training, Lam still preferred to be a spectator. It was after trying some other sports that she found herself unknowingly falling in love with Taekwondo. She then received formal training and devoted herself to serious learning every day. It did not take long before her talents in Taekwondo were revealed. Initially, she treated the sport as a hobby, and her athletic career did not start until she met a coach who identified her potential in secondary school. At that time, the coach encouraged her to take part in competitions, where she found fresh excitement every time when she competed with an opponent of a different style. A great sense of achievement was felt when she defeated her opponents, thereby motivating her to work harder to advance skills and scale new heights. After all these, Lam was determined to become a professional Taekwondo athlete. She regarded her choice as self-challenges and was willing to give it all to gauge her potential. She kept wondering if she was capable to compete with world-class athletes.

She was so passionate about the sport that she would never give up in face of difficulties. Practicing Taekwondo helped her grow, not only did she become more mature, worldly-wise and diligent, but she developed a positive outlook on life. Being included in the Hong Kong squad marked a significant milestone in her life, for her efforts were finally recognised. What was laudable was, she was not complacent about the accomplishments, and instead set her sights on breaking more records. Her proactive approach to life was amply reflected in her performance at the 2018 Asian Taekwondo Championships, during which Lam and her Iranian opponent were neck and neck and in deadlock. Exhausted, she gritted her teeth and remained calm, eventually beating her opponent during extended time. Lam raised her arms and gave a triumphant shout after she won, aspiring to keep efforts up, in a hope to continue competing for Hong Kong, China in the future.

Even now, Lam stays true to herself and strives for progress every day in pursuit of her dream of becoming a world-class athlete. She deeply understands that Rome was not built in a day, and that is why she has set multiple short-term goals. In May, she completed her first competition of 2024, the Asian Taekwondo Championships held in Da Nang, Vietnam. She also set her sights on progressing to the semi-finals in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games at year end, in a bid to bolster confidence and gain competition experience. By doing so, she could better gear up for the 2026 Asian Games, striving to reach the semi-finals.

Diligence always pays off – Chan Chung-yin

Chan Chung-yin, aged 22, is a member of the Hong Kong, China Poomsae Team under the Hong Kong, China Taekwondo Association and an elite athlete of the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Chan learnt about Taekwondo at the age of four when he first took Taekwondo interest classes at school to kill time. He treated the sport as nothing more than a game as he got impression that Taekwondo training was notoriously tough. However, seeing the colour belts of fellow seniors and the white belt for beginners he was wearing, he was stimulated to work hard and determined to persevere, no matter how hard it was, to obtain the highest black belt, just like what his coach wore in the future.

Taekwondo’s emphasis on self-practice is perfect for Chan. He feels a great sense of satisfaction after each practice and fears no hardships, considering that the sweat is proof of hard work and great training. Since primary school, Chan has been waking up early to practice, and as time went on, a good habit of keeping early hours has been fostered. He also attaches great importance to healthy diets. Through learning Taekwondo, he realises that only with continuous practice and perseverance can one overcome obstacles. That is how his positive mindset has been shaped.

At 16, Chan was included in the men’s squad of Hong Kong, China, competing in various competitions. Thanks to his increasingly mature skills, he won more and more awards, eventually emerging as an elite athlete at the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Just as his sporting career reached its apogee, he was deeply frustrated by the outbreak of the epidemic when competitions were gone overnight. Since then he had even lost interest in the sport at one time. That said, he still kept efforts to have Taekwondo training, with a view to narrowing the gap with world-class athletes.

When the epidemic was over, Chan’s hard work eventually paid off. In 2022, he was highly commended for his remarkable performance in the Asian Championships. After that, he underwent overseas training on several occasions, in which he kept making great efforts to enhance skills. Diligence always pays off. Chan achieved notable successes in various competitions in 2023, including the FISU World University Games in July, the Asian Games in September and the China Open Championships in November, earning him wide recognition as a talented athlete.

Despite the successes, Chan did not rest on his laurels but strived for excellence in a hope of scaling new heights. He plans to take part in the World Championships to be held in November 2024 in Hong Kong. This competition holds a remarkably significant position in his life in that it not only marks his second World Championships in his sporting career, but also that it is hosted in Hong Kong. He vows to spare no efforts in seeking breakthrough by clinching a gold medal at home.