Marathon effort augurs well for Wellness March 2008

In the spirit of the Olympic Games and the interests of a healthy lifestyle, City University of Hong Kong (CityU) participated for the first time in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon in February. An enthusiastic response from more than 300 staff, alumni and students ensured the themes of this year’s “Wellness March” - unity, friendship, progress, harmony and participation - were well represented.

“The marathon requires physical strength, perseverance and a strong will,” said Mr Roy Ngai Hoi-yee, Senior Physical Education Officer of Student Development Services. “To finish, motivation and support from other team members are very important. It is in this context that team spirit is best exemplified,” he said.

“Two years ago, the theme of ‘Wellness March’ was ‘Quali-Walk’ and last year it graduated to ‘Quali-Run’. Both themes acted as a prelude for this year’s participation in the marathon. To be well-prepared for the race, runners received marathon training,” said Mr Sunny Chau Yat-kwong, Physical Education Officer of Student Development Services.

The Marathon was the first event on this year’s “Wellness March” programme, which features more than 30 activities. Apart from all kinds of sports, such as badminton and table-tennis tournaments, there are also talks on health, music appreciation workshops and outdoor pursuits. During “Wellness March”, staff and students can also enjoy the sports facilities at CityU, free of charge.

supports “Wellness March” by organising three activities that promote physical and mental wellness, including Tai Chi classes, tea tasting and music appreciation and a healthy eating campaign. All these activities have received an overwhelmingly positive response.

“Wellness March” has been held for more than ten years. Mr Ngai Hoi-yee, the concept’s founder, thanked senior management and colleagues for their support, which he said had made the programme a success.

“While one of my major tasks is to train the elite athletes of CityU, I believe that rather than merely training the elite, sports should be a popular activity among all walks of life. Whether you are an athlete or not, exercise is essential and great fun. It was on this basis that ‘Wellness March’ was conceived,” said Mr Ngai.

In addition to promoting physical well-being, “Wellness March” also addresses mental health, reflecting CityU’s dedication to providing a holistic environment for whole-person development.

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