Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards avoids Cheung Ka-long vs Siobhan Haughey battle, as organisers separate men’s and women’s prizes
- Fencer Cheung won Olympic gold in 2021 while swimmer Haughey took two silvers in Tokyo and set world record in women’s 200m freestyle
- Sports Stars Awards are given to the top five male and female athletes, from which the best men’s and women’s winners will be chosen
A potential face-off between an Olympic gold medallist and a world record holder has been avoided with organisers of the Cathay 2021 Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards separating the “best of the best” prize into men’s and women’s categories.
Hong Kong enjoyed unprecedented sporting success in 2021 with fencer Cheung Ka-long winning gold in the men’s foil, one of six medals for the city at the Tokyo Games.
Swimmer Siobhan Haughey won two silver medals in Tokyo, in the women’s 200 metres freestyle and 100m freestyle, and also set a short-course 200m freestyle world record at December’s World Championships in Abu Dhabi.
“Thanks to stellar achievements from Hong Kong athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, the 14th National Games, National Games for Persons with Disabilities and more, sports has taken the city by storm,” organisers said in a press release on Saturday.
“For years, the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee has organised the HKSSA to not only recognise athletes’ efforts and contributions in their field, but also to promote sports to every member of the society.”
