PolyU gets 24 outstanding athletes through SALSA Scheme
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to promoting the dual-track development of young athletes in sports and academic pursuits. This year, 24 outstanding athletes have been admitted to PolyU under the Student-Athlete Learning Support and Admission (SALSA) Scheme, and will embark on their undergraduate studies in the 2023/24 academic year.
The newly admitted student-athletes have achieved remarkable results for Hong Kong in athletics, badminton, boccia, fencing, gymnastics, swimming, speed skating, track cycling and martial arts, among others, in international and regional tournaments. They will be enrolled in a wide range of undergraduate programmes, including physiotherapy; medical laboratory science; management and marketing; and language sciences, translation, and speech therapy.
PolyU offers over 200 scholarships to student-athletes every year in recognition of their distinguished achievements in sports, and provides residential college accommodation to aid their development through hostel life. In addition to receiving a scholarship of as much as HK$400,000 during studies, eligible student-athletes admitted through the SALSA Scheme will be given individual mentorship in academic work, flexibility in learning and study assessments, extension of study periods and more, offering these students comprehensive support to facilitate their holistic development.
Prof. Kwok-yin WONG, Vice President (Education) of PolyU welcomed the 24 student-athletes to the University and said, “PolyU has been supportive of whole-person education and sports development. We hope the student-athletes not only shine in sports but are also able to receive high-quality education, which will provide them with more opportunities to succeed in their future endeavours. We also look forward to seeing them apply their sporting spirit in classes and making a positive impact on their peers.”
Among the admitted athletes is track cyclist LEUNG Chun-wing, who won a gold medal in men’s Madison and two silver medals in men’s Omnium and Team Pursuit respectively at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. He is now the assistant coach of the Hong Kong cycling team and will enrol in the management programme. “I hope to equip myself for my future career through studying at PolyU. Meanwhile, I will also take up a managerial role in the Hong Kong cycling team and develop diverse capabilities,” he remarked.
KWOK Tsz-fung, the Hong Kong team’s substitute athlete in men’s 500m short-track speed skating at the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, will undertake the medical laboratory science programme. He said, “I was in high school amid the pandemic and aspired to study medical-related subjects to contribute to society. PolyU’s courses are well-recognised and pave the way for my healthcare career.” He hopes to keep up his professional level training alongside studies and represent PolyU to compete in the winter edition of the FISU World University Games.
The first runner-up winner in the women’s Foil Team at the Junior World Cup, CHUNG Wan-yin, will study physiotherapy. She suffered an ankle ligament injury last year during training, leading to a two-month suspension of training. “I was taken good care of by the physiotherapist at that time, which inspired me to pursue this profession,” she said. With the all-round support from PolyU, she is eager to bring more victories for Hong Kong on the international stage.
Swimmer CHAN Tsun-hin, who has participated in the Asian Open Water Swimming Championships, is now competing for the quota for the coming Asian Games in Hangzhou. He learnt about the Scheme through his brothers, who are also swimmers, and he will pursue aviation, maritime and supply chain management. “PolyU has devoted enormous resources to supporting student-athletes, allowing us to strike a balance between studies and training, and to realise dual-track development,” he said.