Every time 18-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. She uses the same mindset for her other goals – such as becoming a doctor for her home city.
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.”
Balancing school and sports
As a first-year medical student, Pak is always learning about new aspects of medicine that inspire her. But finding balance on and off the track is not easy.
“It’s important not to see my interests as a burden.
I enjoy both medicine and athletics, and I have goals in both areas. So, I will keep working hard to achieve them,” the teen said.
She was inspired to study medicine after watching a doctor work with patients.
“He didn’t just know their medical histories – he knew their personal stories, their struggles and their challenges. That really touched me,” she said.
She realised that doctors don’t just treat people’s illnesses. They also take care of their feelings.
Pak wants to learn more about sports medicine. In the future, she hopes to research ways to help Hong Kong athletes recover from injuries while continuing to train.
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Next year, the hurdler will start competing at the senior level, so she will need to spend more time practising for races. She is currently training four days a week, and each session lasts nearly four hours.
For her, the biggest source of pressure comes from 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.”
Don’t focus only on results
For many student-athletes in Hong Kong, it is difficult to decide if they should follow their dreams.
“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.
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Reflect: What are two things you are passionate about?
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Why the story matters: Exams can be stressful because we want to do well and succeed. But Chloe Pak’s words can remind us to be brave in facing our challenges and to focus on giving our all.
