Maestros in the making

Strict selection process

In promoting fencing in schools in the past few years, Lam says he found many students from economically disadvantaged families have great potential, and their chance of becoming a professional fencer could easily slip away if not given a chance.

He came across a student from a grassroots family who was initially introverted and left a strong impression on him. "His personality was a little introverted back then, but he practiced hard and stood out from a fencing competition," he says. Observing the student's transformation into a more confident and outgoing individual, Lam decided to support him with the funding he needed.

Lam has been funding other talented students as well, but only five percent of them can overcome his strict selection process to secure financial support. He aims to pick the top talent from a group of around 400 children who are interested in fencing. Once someone is chosen, he will support them for several years until they can join the Hong Kong fencing team.

To cultivate talented fencing players, Lam founded a fencing hall and organized various events, but there were funding obstacles. "The technology companies can get generous financial support from the government, but there are few governmental funding projects for sports companies," he says, adding that private sponsors are paramount regardless of whether funding students or organizing events.

In December, Lam facilitated the second Asian Youth Elite Fencing League in Macao — a competition for children aged 8 to 14 years old that attracted over 800 participants from the Chinese mainland, the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore.

Lam admits it is still hard for most athletes to make any sport a lifetime career. "Most Hong Kong parents are worried about their children taking up fencing as a profession. Even for financially well-off families, parents tend to choose a more promising career for their children, such as in the medical or legal professions," he says.

Lam has a string of public accolades under his belt. He is a member of the Cultural, Sports and Tourism Bureau Elite Sports Committee of Hong Kong, and was among the 51st "Hong Kong Ten Outstanding Young Persons".

Despite his achievements, he still finds promoting fencing difficult. "I think my continued efforts to promote the sport have made me stressed. It's as hard as the training itself," he says.

As he no longer needs to continue practicing daily, Lam puts all his endeavors into training his students to compete in future Olympic Games.

The HKSAR government has devoted a lot of attention to promoting sports through various channels, including organizing mega sports events and raising awareness of sports in the community.

Efforts to turn more Hong Kong people into professional athletes have gained momentum in recent years.