Relocated Sports Institute holds a housewarming at its new premises

The Sports Institute celebrated its successful relocation to the YMCA Wu Kai Sha Youth Village with a housewarming party yesterday.

The institute - originally located in Sha Tin and the training base for the elite athletes in Hong Kong for 24 years - had surrendered its site to make way for the Olympic equestrian events next year.

Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho Chi-ping and Hong Kong Sports Institute chairman Eric Li Ka-cheung were joined by several head coaches and elite athletes for the traditional carving of a roast pig to mark the occasion.

The premises at the Wu Kai Sha Youth Village houses the institute's headquarters, three tennis courts, a fencing hall, a gym, a swimming pool and a restaurant. It also includes facilities for sports science and sports medicine services.

Three dormitory buildings for about 100 athletes are also ready for use. Internet services are available in all the bedrooms. However, except for athletes practising tennis and fencing, sportsmen will have to go elsewhere for training, Dr Li said.

He said the institute would try its best to secure funding from the government to upgrade and improve services when its new facilities are built at the original site in Sha Tin after the Olympics.