EdCity’s 25th Anniversary Kickoff Event: Learning from Experts
Olympic Gold Medallist Vivian Kong Shares Sportsmanship with Students: ‘Eager to Win, Unafraid to Lose’
This year marks EdCity’s 25th Silver Jubilee, and to celebrate, we are launching a range of exciting new programmes designed to enhance digital education, digital literacy, innovative skills, and positive thinking—all aimed at fostering well-rounded student development. The anniversary festivities kicked off with the Learning from Experts series, featuring Olympic gold medallist and Hong Kong fencing star Vivian Kong Man Wai, MH. Over 2,000 primary and secondary students attended the event, where Ms Kong shared inspiring stories from her athletic career, engaged with students’ questions, and encouraged them to tackle life’s challenges with the same resilience and determination that define great athletes.
During the event, Ms Vivian Kong Man Wai, Olympic fencing champion, interacted with over 2,000 primary and secondary students, sharing insights from her athletic journey.
In his opening remarks, Mr Lee Hon Cheung, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Hong Kong Education City, reflected on Ms Kong’s unforgettable gold medal victory at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Facing a French opponent on their home turf, Kong initially trailed while the crowd roared for her rival. Yet, demonstrating remarkable composure, she staged a brilliant comeback to claim the gold. Mr Lee highlighted how Ms Kong’s tenacity in overcoming training adversities and her never-say-die attitude serve as powerful lessons for students. Her story, he emphasised, perfectly embodies the resilience young learners should cultivate when confronting challenges.
Mr Lee Hong Cheung, Chairman of the Board of Director, praised Ms Vivian Kong’s remarkable perseverance at the Olympics.
The inaugural session, held both in-person and via live stream, saw Ms Kong share her inspiring personal story. She described how discovering fencing as a child gave her purpose and made her eager to practise every day. Her message to students: ‘Take time to find what truly excites you – that passion will sustain you through years of learning’.
Ms Kong offered a powerful perspective: ‘You don’t need to be an athlete to embrace the champion’s mindset. It’s about wanting to win but not being afraid to lose.’ She revealed that her most fulfilling moments often came not from medals, but from those breakthrough instances after training or competitions when she realised she had outdone her previous self.
Beyond the sharing session, Ms Kong engaged in lively exchanges with student representatives at the venue while also responding to questions from online participants. The students showed tremendous curiosity, eagerly asking about her most memorable competition, how she balanced academics with elite athletics, her mindset when losing points during Olympic matches and how she persevered through challenges in her at athletic career. Ms Kong patiently answered each question and thanked her coach who had supported her throughout her journey.
When asked about her career transition from athlete to corporate professional, Ms Kong responded candidly: ‘Office work is actually quite demanding – I really miss the feeling of fencing.’ However, she explained how the sports mentality cultivated since childhood – ‘not fearing challenges but embracing them’ – continues to help her overcome workplace obstacles. She added that leaving full-time competition has allowed her to rediscover the pure joy of sports, free from the pressure of scores and medals.
The students were particularly moved by Ms Kong’s story of competing through injury – how she dedicated herself to rehabilitation and insisted on participating despite the pain. This powerful example of determination left a deep impression, inspiring them to face future challenges with similar courage and perseverance.