Encounters with Alumni from Greater China
Kenneth Fok (Pembroke, 1998, Economics and Management) is currently the Vice-President of the Fok Ying Tung Group and Honorary Deputy Secretary General of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and President of the Gymnastics Association of Hong Kong, China. He is a former President of the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Hong Kong and he is also a trustee of the China Oxford Scholarship Fund.
Tell us about your involvement with the Olympic Committee of Hong Kong.
I am currently serving as the Honorary Deputy Secretary General within the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, the governing body of sports here. Hong Kong is very special since our IOC membership status was retained after the reunification with the Mainland in 1997. Besides managing the Hong Kong China team which competes in the Olympics every four years, we also send representatives to various international sporting competitions like the Asian Games and East Asian Games. We also participate in the promotion of sports and athlete development locally in Hong Kong.
Which has been your favourite Olympics?
I will have to say the Beijing Games in 2008. I have attended Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Although all the Games had a different vibe, none I felt, was as strong as Beijing. Partly because I am Chinese, but Beijing’s sophisticated organisation, stunning venues and level of competition was really unparalleled. The hospitality offered by the volunteers as well as the locals were simply heartwarming. I remembered a volunteer driver told me he didn’t mind working late and was happiest when he had a chance to drive foreign delegates around because it gave him an opportunity to ‘practise his English and show them his hometown’. Their attitude really touched everyone’s heart. Like the athletes, the volunteers had in them the Olympic spirit.
The Olympic Games should be more than a two week celebration of sporting excellence. The Olympic legacy is paramount. I don't think any other Games in the modern Olympic era have left a stronger legacy than the Beijing Games. They touched the lives of average people in many ways, changing the way they lived and viewed the world and also the way they viewed themselves. People are proud to be Chinese and the Games provided a platform for them to show it.
What’s your ‘perfect-10’ Olympic moment?
For me, nothing compared to seeing 2008 drummers, beating on flashing drums, counting down the seconds to the opening of the Beijing Games. It was the culmination of seven years of hard work, anticipation and expectation, which was released along with the fireworks. It was a proud moment for each and every one of the 90,000 spectators inside the ‘Bird’s Nest’ which was shared with over 3 billion viewers around the world.
Tell us something we didn’t know about the Beijing Olympics.
The person chosen to light the cauldron was a heavily guarded secret. Later we learnt that this honour rested on the shoulder of ex-gymnastics champion Li-Ning, who ignited the cauldron after being hoisted high into the air and ‘running’ the circumference of the stadium. People who knew this reportedly had to swear to secrecy and of course, this included Li-Ning himself. His rehearsals were arranged under the cover of darkness and he jokingly mentioned that he always had a hard time explaining to his wife where he was going to in the middle of the night!
Who do you admire?
In every Olympics, champions are born and others retire. People do not necessarily always remember the gold medalists but the most memorable are the athletes who display the ultimate Olympic spirit and courage. In Beijing, I was touched by the determination of Natalie du Toit, the South African swimmer. She is an amputee who won 5 Gold medals at the 2008 Paralympics and also qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time and obtained 16th place in the women’s 10k marathon swimming race against other able-bodied competitors. She was a mere 1.22.2 minutes behind the winner and given her disability, it’s hard to imagine the work and determination she put in to achieve this feat. She might not have won gold but she surely inspired many.
Were you involved in sport in Oxford and do you continue to play sports now?
Looking back, I should have participated more in sports back in Oxford! I enjoyed playing tennis and golf for leisure which I still do now in Hong Kong. I especially enjoy golf as it’s a mentally challenging game. In essence, you are not competing against an opponent but against yourself. The course remains the same but you can have drastically different scores every time. I am glad that golf will become an Olympic Sport in Rio 2016!
What do you look forward to in London 2012?
I recently spent the Diamond Jubilee in London. The British certainly knows how to have a good time! I hope that the atmosphere and excitement I witnessed will be extended to the London Olympics. The most important aspect of the Olympics is the people’s participation. The London Olympics will not only celebrate athletes’ achievements but also British culture. The cultural Olympiad will involve more than 16 million people across the UK who have and will continue to attend performances, events and workshops. I have even attended events here, mainly organised by the British Consulate and British Council, bringing British athletes, artists and film makers to Hong Kong. Most countries are able to organise sporting competitions for the 28Olympic sports, but it is those countries who can also produce a welcoming and enjoyable experience and a strong legacy that will excel. I am sure London is more than capable of doing this.
Not least, I am also looking forward to the opening ceremony!
What’s your favourite place in Oxford?
One thing that typifies Oxford is the punting and even now, when I visit Oxford, I always stop by the Cherwell Boathouse for lunch and a punt if the weather is good! There is nothing that can beat the experience of punting down the river with a sandwich, Pimms and lemonade during the Oxford summer!
And in Hong Kong?
It’s hard to pin point a favourite spot per se. Hong Kong is so dynamic and changes all the time, as anyone here knows. I love the hustle and bustle of the city, but just a stone’s throw away from the city, there are lovely beaches and innumerable hiking trails. And of course the magnificent sea and the Victoria Harbour. I often enjoy a good walk in the countryside and when I’ve had enough, it’s just a $30 taxi ride to Lan Kwai Fong! That’s something you don’t get anywhere else in the world.
--- Written in June 2012 ---
Tell us about your involvement with the Olympic Committee of Hong Kong.
I am currently serving as the Honorary Deputy Secretary General within the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, the governing body of sports here. Hong Kong is very special since our IOC membership status was retained after the reunification with the Mainland in 1997. Besides managing the Hong Kong China team which competes in the Olympics every four years, we also send representatives to various international sporting competitions like the Asian Games and East Asian Games. We also participate in the promotion of sports and athlete development locally in Hong Kong.
Which has been your favourite Olympics?
I will have to say the Beijing Games in 2008. I have attended Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Although all the Games had a different vibe, none I felt, was as strong as Beijing. Partly because I am Chinese, but Beijing’s sophisticated organisation, stunning venues and level of competition was really unparalleled. The hospitality offered by the volunteers as well as the locals were simply heartwarming. I remembered a volunteer driver told me he didn’t mind working late and was happiest when he had a chance to drive foreign delegates around because it gave him an opportunity to ‘practise his English and show them his hometown’. Their attitude really touched everyone’s heart. Like the athletes, the volunteers had in them the Olympic spirit.
The Olympic Games should be more than a two week celebration of sporting excellence. The Olympic legacy is paramount. I don't think any other Games in the modern Olympic era have left a stronger legacy than the Beijing Games. They touched the lives of average people in many ways, changing the way they lived and viewed the world and also the way they viewed themselves. People are proud to be Chinese and the Games provided a platform for them to show it.
What’s your ‘perfect-10’ Olympic moment?
For me, nothing compared to seeing 2008 drummers, beating on flashing drums, counting down the seconds to the opening of the Beijing Games. It was the culmination of seven years of hard work, anticipation and expectation, which was released along with the fireworks. It was a proud moment for each and every one of the 90,000 spectators inside the ‘Bird’s Nest’ which was shared with over 3 billion viewers around the world.
Tell us something we didn’t know about the Beijing Olympics.
The person chosen to light the cauldron was a heavily guarded secret. Later we learnt that this honour rested on the shoulder of ex-gymnastics champion Li-Ning, who ignited the cauldron after being hoisted high into the air and ‘running’ the circumference of the stadium. People who knew this reportedly had to swear to secrecy and of course, this included Li-Ning himself. His rehearsals were arranged under the cover of darkness and he jokingly mentioned that he always had a hard time explaining to his wife where he was going to in the middle of the night!
Who do you admire?
In every Olympics, champions are born and others retire. People do not necessarily always remember the gold medalists but the most memorable are the athletes who display the ultimate Olympic spirit and courage. In Beijing, I was touched by the determination of Natalie du Toit, the South African swimmer. She is an amputee who won 5 Gold medals at the 2008 Paralympics and also qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time and obtained 16th place in the women’s 10k marathon swimming race against other able-bodied competitors. She was a mere 1.22.2 minutes behind the winner and given her disability, it’s hard to imagine the work and determination she put in to achieve this feat. She might not have won gold but she surely inspired many.
Were you involved in sport in Oxford and do you continue to play sports now?
Looking back, I should have participated more in sports back in Oxford! I enjoyed playing tennis and golf for leisure which I still do now in Hong Kong. I especially enjoy golf as it’s a mentally challenging game. In essence, you are not competing against an opponent but against yourself. The course remains the same but you can have drastically different scores every time. I am glad that golf will become an Olympic Sport in Rio 2016!
What do you look forward to in London 2012?
I recently spent the Diamond Jubilee in London. The British certainly knows how to have a good time! I hope that the atmosphere and excitement I witnessed will be extended to the London Olympics. The most important aspect of the Olympics is the people’s participation. The London Olympics will not only celebrate athletes’ achievements but also British culture. The cultural Olympiad will involve more than 16 million people across the UK who have and will continue to attend performances, events and workshops. I have even attended events here, mainly organised by the British Consulate and British Council, bringing British athletes, artists and film makers to Hong Kong. Most countries are able to organise sporting competitions for the 28Olympic sports, but it is those countries who can also produce a welcoming and enjoyable experience and a strong legacy that will excel. I am sure London is more than capable of doing this.
Not least, I am also looking forward to the opening ceremony!
What’s your favourite place in Oxford?
One thing that typifies Oxford is the punting and even now, when I visit Oxford, I always stop by the Cherwell Boathouse for lunch and a punt if the weather is good! There is nothing that can beat the experience of punting down the river with a sandwich, Pimms and lemonade during the Oxford summer!
And in Hong Kong?
It’s hard to pin point a favourite spot per se. Hong Kong is so dynamic and changes all the time, as anyone here knows. I love the hustle and bustle of the city, but just a stone’s throw away from the city, there are lovely beaches and innumerable hiking trails. And of course the magnificent sea and the Victoria Harbour. I often enjoy a good walk in the countryside and when I’ve had enough, it’s just a $30 taxi ride to Lan Kwai Fong! That’s something you don’t get anywhere else in the world.
--- Written in June 2012 ---