Hong Kong aims to win medals in the London Olympics in 2012 and the government will spend tens of millions of dollars to train sporting talents to make that a reality.

To identify and nurture young elite athletes to attain the goal, HK$10 million will be set aside to launch trial feeder programs.

Speaking at a luncheon about sports development in Hong Kong, Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing said the city is capable of producing talented athletes and gold medalists.

He added the 2009 East Asian Games, 2010 Asian Games and 2012 Olympics will be great opportunities for Hong Kong athletes to vie for medals.

"Our achievements in the Beijing Olympics are among the best in Asia, so we should have our eyes on medals in the London Olympic Games. We should have such confidence and ambition," Tsang said.

The government is currently funding the development of 11 types of sports, and it will spend more than HK$10 million to step up training for some of these sports.

"Hong Kong has the advantage and ability to develop some sports, such as windsurfing and cycling, which stand a good chance of winning medals in international competitions," he said.

The Home Affairs Bureau will discuss with the Hong Kong Sports Institute and the sports sector which fields to focus on by next year.

Tsang reassured that resources for other sports will not be reduced.

Seeing that the key to strengthened competitiveness is the nurturing of young sporting elites, the government will invent another HK$10 million in a feeder program to develop effective means to identify and train young elites, Tsang revealed.

The program will include the promotion of sports and the identification of sporting talents in schools.

Young athletes will also be sent to participate in the summer and winter Youth Olympic Games respectively in 2010 and 2012.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong will either bring in mainland sporting talents or send local athletes to the mainland for training.

Physical education professor Chung Pak-kwong expressed support for the government's efforts in promoting certain sports.

"To make the most of the resources, the government should concentrate on developing several sports. It must devote lots of resources to nurturing talents that are born and bred locally to compete in international competitions," Chung said, adding it may take more than 10 years to "produce" an elite.

He said table tennis, cycling, badminton and windsurfing are four sports which have a better chance of grabbing medals in the Olympics.

The government should indeed start nurturing teenagers aged 12 to 13 to prepare for the 2016 Olympics, Chung added.

Meanwhile, the government will continue seeking sponsorship from the business sector for the East Asian Games next year. So far, HK$66 million have been raised.

(HK Edition 10/22/2008 page1)