Tokyo Olympics table tennis bronze medallists and students at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), Doo Hoi-kem and Lee Ho-ching, were invited to an online dialogue session with EdUHK staff members and students on 14 September 2021. The pair shared their sports journey and campus life at the University, and took questions from the participants.

Elite athletes face intense pressure during competitions. When asked about how to deal with stress and maintain a positive attitude, Doo said, “As an athlete, you must learn how to lose before you can win. There can only be one champion. Winning or losing, you should just focus on performing better each time.” Lee also said, “Competitions are similar to examinations. Every single match is different; you should let go of past failures, withdraw from negative thinking and mentally prepare for the next game.”

Both Doo and Lee are students of the Bachelor of Health Education (Honours) programme. After a year of online studies, Doo felt excited to return to campus in early September, while Lee joked that the most difficult part as a student was sitting down for such a long time. 

The two medallists took this opportunity to thank their schoolmates for being supportive and considerate to them. They also expressed their gratitude to the University for offering a scholarship to support their academic studies, and helping retired athletes and those who are about to retire in pursuit of a dual career pathway.

Professor Chetwyn Chan Che-hin, Vice President (Research and Development), delivers a welcome speech for the dialogue session organised by the Student Affairs Office