Maximum effort
Kwok Man Tsui’s belief in putting maximum effort into every training session to be
successful paid off in 2009. A golden season at indoor and on-water regattas culminated
with a victory at the World Rowing Championships.
It was the first year an adaptive boat class for athletes with
intellectual disabilities had been included in the world
championship programme. The International Rowing
Federation (FISA) added the event in anticipation of
the announcement of the International Paralympic
Committee (IPC) to re-include athletes of intellectual
disability in the Paralympic programme.
Championships in the 1,000 metre adaptive category.
In 2009, he won another five golds in indoor rowing
competitions in Hong Kong China and Korea.
Tsui’s legs, trunk and arms mixed coxed four from Hong
Kong China defeated the Italian team handily in a time
of 3:55.70. “It’s really exciting and I’m very happy,” says
the 17-year-old rower of his rise to World Champion
status only two years after he began to row. “Listening
to the instructions from the coach, training hard, and
thinking to win on every stroke is what really led us to
the championship.”
Indoor success aside, Tsui prefers to row on the water. It
“is much more fun,” he says, “because it demands better
technique and I find rowing on water is happier than
doing ergo.” Tsui trains on Hong Kong China’s Shinig
Mun River in the coxed four and eight in addition to
running and other fitness training. His older brother
gives Tsui an extra boost of support: “He has also
rowed before; he always shares with me his experience,”
says Tsui.
Tsui was identified through a selection programme
to receive rowing training in the Hong Kong adaptive
programme. The Tun Mun Skills Centre student made
great strides in his strength and physical skill to win
gold at the 2008 Hong Kong Youth Indoor Rowing
Now with the perspective of seeing intellectually disabled
athletes compete at the 2012 Paralympic Games in
London, Tsui has been nominated for the Hong Kong
Paralympians Fund and Sports Aid which will help him
row full time and keep his eyes on gold.
