Difficulty: Challenger (Level 2)
Hong Kong has many young sports stars who show us that even when life is hard, we can still shine if we keep trying our best. These athletes show us that mistakes, worries and disabilities do not have to stop us from chasing our dreams.
Jasmine Ng
Jasmine Ng started swimming when she was just three years old.
At 14, she became Hong Kong’s youngest Paralympic medallist by winning a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. She even set a new Hong Kong record in her race.
Jasmine was born with hypochondroplasia, which makes her shorter. It means she has to kick and pull more to keep up, but she keeps training hard and tells herself to stay calm and do her best.
Her story shows that even if our bodies are different, our hearts can be strong.
Cheung Ka-long
Cheung Ka-long tried fencing in primary school and discovered he loved this fast, clever sport.
After many years of practice and sacrifice, he won a gold medal in men’s foil at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
He did it again at the Paris 2024 Olympics, becoming Hong Kong’s first two-time Olympic gold medallist and the first man in 68 years to defend the foil title.
Cheung has lost important matches, felt stressed and even dropped in the rankings. Instead of giving up, he learned to control his feelings, change his strategy and keep training.
His journey teaches us that it is OK to fail, as long as we stand up and try again.
Ho Yuen-kei
Ho Yuen-kei plays boccia, a target sport that needs focus and careful control, a bit like very gentle bowling.
She was born with type 2 spinal muscular atrophy, which makes her muscles weak and her lungs less strong.
Still, she has become a key member of Hong Kong’s boccia team and has won major titles in Asia and around the world.
Ho has competed at the Paralympic Games and speaks up for people with disabilities.
She reminds us that courage and kindness have no limits.
What we can learn
From Jasmine, we learn to keep going, even when our bodies get tired. Cheung teaches us that losing once does not mean we will lose forever.
Meanwhile, Ho shows that disability cannot stop us from having big dreams. All three remind us that perseverance, resilience and a caring heart can help kids everywhere chase their goals.
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