Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On hosted a farewell ceremony for a group of young athletes who will be competing at the 2nd National Youth Games in Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi province, with good wishes that the contestants perform at their best.
Chui made the remarks in a speech during the ceremony at Government Headquarters on Monday.
A total of 239 young athletes will be representing Macau and competing at the Games starting next Thursday and ending on August 18. The athletes will be competing in badminton, boxing, cycling, swimming, tennis and other sports.
Chui said he hoped the young athletes will be competing to the best of their ability, showing excellent sportsmanship and bringing glory to Macau. He added that he hoped the contestants could exchange experiences with their fellow athletes from elsewhere in the nation.
Chiu pointed out that the government will continue to invest in training young top athletes, hoping that sports could be popularised in the city.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam Chon Weng said during his speech that the government has been promoting sports development, especially for young athletes. The government has been supporting local athletes to compete in different competitions, allowing them to showcase their specialties on the international stage, Tam said.
According to the Macau Post Daily, Tam noted that by the end of the year a training centre for athletes will open, adding that the centre aims to provide better training for local sportsmen and women.
The ceremony ended with Chiu and Tam handing over the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) flag and shaking hands with each of the young athletes.
