Press Release

(Hong Kong – 8 May 2012) A team of eight student members of The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) representing Hong Kong at the 13th Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO) in India have returned home proudly with one gold, two bronze medals and three honourable mentions.

Gold medalist Lam Ho-tat, a Secondary Five student from Pui Shing Catholic Secondary School, ranked the 4th in Asia among competitors in APhO, which is the best ever individual result achieved by Hong Kong student in the Olympiad contest since 2007. He also won the first honour prize in the Pan-Pearl River Delta Physics Olympiad held in February 2012.

The bronze medalists were Secondary Four student Tam Pok-man from Sing Yin Secondary School and Secondary Five student Lum Kai-chun from Queen’s College, while the honourable mentions were Secondary Five student Wong Yiu-man from Queen Elizabeth School, Secondary Five student Man Siu-hang from CCC Ming Yin College and Secondary Five student Shing Ming Tony from Wong Shiu Chi Secondary School. The remaining two members of the Hong Kong team were Secondary Five student Chiu Chun-fung from Kwun Tong Maryknoll College and Secondary Five student Yim Lok-lam from PLK No 1 WH Cheung College.

“This year’s good results mark the success of collaboration between the HKAGE, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the Education Bureau (EDB),” a spokesman for EDB said.

Dr Stephen Tommis, the Executive Director of the HKAGE, congratulated the Hong Kong Team on achieving this remarkable result in the contest. He believed that the students could outperform other contestants in this competitive contest not only because of their abilities but also because of their hard work and efforts. He encouraged the students to maintain their persistence and enthusiasm in Physics which is vital for them to reach their goals in the future.

The students are trainees under the 11-month Physics Enhancement Programme organised by the HKAGE and commissioned to HKUST with their Physics professors as instructors. Following outstanding performances in the Hong Kong Physics Olympiad 2011, these students were selected to take part in a series of enhancement courses before taking part in the APhO 2012. The trip was funded by the EDB.

This year’s APhO was held from April 30 to May 7 in Delhi, India, with 156 contestants from 21 countries/regions participating. The APhO aims to promote education in physics, strengthen interaction and co-operation among experts in physics in Asia, and train and inspire teenagers who are highly talented in physics.

The leader of the Hong Kong Team was HKUST’s Professor Chen Tian-wen while the deputy leader was Wa Ying College physics teacher Mr. Lam Wang-yuen; Dr Ma Guancong and Mr Yang Min from the HKUST’s Department of Physics went as observers.

A team of eight student members of the HKAGE representing Hong Kong at the 13th APhO have returned home proudly with one gold, two bronze medals and three honourable mentions.