The Chinese 11th National Games' torch relay Hong Kong leg was held here at Hong Kong Kowloon Park on Saturday, while the flag presentation ceremony of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) delegation to the games was held on the same day.

Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, presented the Hong Kong SAR flag to Tsang Tak-sing, secretary for Home Affairs and the head of the HK Delegation. The Chief Executive then officiated at the light of the torch ceremony, passing the torch, which was brought from Beijing last month, to the first torch bearer, swimmer Jeffrey Lum to start the torch relay.

The five torch bearers are athletes of the HKSAR Delegation to the 11th National Games, including Jeffrey Lum (swimming), Yip Pui-yin (badminton), Cynthia Lo (shooting), Ali Arif (hockey) and Cheung King-wai (cycling).

They relayed the torch in sequence, starting at the Kowloon Park Sports Center, passing the park's main trail, Water Garden, Sculpture Walk and Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games Handprint Wall for Sponsors and Volunteers before getting back to the sports center.

Speaking at ceremony, Tsang Tak-sing said the holding of the 11th National Games was of great significance as this year was the 50th Anniversary of the Games as well as the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

He believed that the Hong Kong athletes would make use of the opportunity to exchange skills with the Chinese mainland elite athletes and to well prepare themselves for the East Asian Games to be held at the end of the year.

The Hong Kong SAR will send a 340-member delegation, comprising 230 athletes and 110 supporting and medical personnel to take part in 25 sports events of the 11th National Games, which will be held in Shandong province between Oct. 16-28.

(Xinhua News Agency September 13, 2009)