Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Every time 19-year-old Chloe Pak Hoi-man stands at the starting line, she feels nervous as she looks at the 10 hurdles she must clear.
But after nearly seven years of hurdling, the Hong Kong student-athlete has learned to turn that fear into motivation.
In 2023, she became the record-holder in Hong Kong’s under-18 and under-20 women’s 100m hurdles – breaking a record that had been unbeaten for 34 years. A few months later, she beat her own time again.
Last year, she was admitted to the University of Hong Kong to study medicine through a scheme for top athletes.
“Every time I pass a hurdle, I feel a sense of achievement. I don’t see hurdles as obstacles blocking my way, but rather as something for me to overcome,” she said. “If I apply this mindset to my life, no matter what challenges I face in the future, I will be braver in confronting them.”
The balancing act
As a medical student, Pak is constantly learning about new aspects of medicine that inspire her.
But finding balance on and off the track is not easy. She trains four days a week and each session lasts nearly four hours.
For her, the primary source of pressure is her own expectations.
She recalled moments of doubt when she joined the Hong Kong team as a Form Five pupil.
“I believe many students and athletes struggle with this, too. We all want to do well, to prove ourselves and to avoid disappointing our families or those around us. The key to overcoming this is shifting our mindset,” she said.
“We don’t always have to chase the highest scores ... As long as we give our all, there should be no regrets.”
Pursuing dreams with grace
For many student-athletes in Hong Kong, deciding whether to pursue their dreams can be quite a challenging task.
“In Hong Kong, there is often a strong focus on results – whether you achieve a certain standard or whether you are considered outstanding,” Pak said.
But according to the teen, this mindset does not recognise how hard student-athletes work, even if they don’t win big competitions.
The hurdler encouraged student-athletes not to give up on their passion for sports.
“Sports ... teach valuable life lessons that apply to other areas, like academics. If I hadn’t been involved in track and hurdles, I wouldn’t be as resilient as I am today,” she said.
