A team of eight students representing Hong Kong won two gold medals, two silver medals, two bronze medals and two honourable mentions in the 21st Asian Physics Olympiad (APhO).

It is the best result in recent years.

Cheng Yat-long from Raimondi College and Lau Sze-chun from Diocesan Boys’ School won two gold medals. Cheung Man-yin from Queen’s College and Lam Chung-wang from St Paul’s Co-educational College won two silver medals. Chan Tsz-chun from International Christian Quality Music Secondary and Primary School and Gabriel Tong from Sheng Kung Hui Tsang Shiu Tim Secondary School each won a bronze medal.

Additionally, Lennon Chan from St Paul’s Co-educational College and Roland Cheung from Sing Yin Secondary School each received an honourable mention.

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung congratulated the Hong Kong team on its outstanding performance.

"The impressive results achieved by the Hong Kong team in the APhO this year have demonstrated the concerted efforts of different stakeholders in promoting diversified science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.

“I believe these learning experiences help unleash students’ potential in science and technology as well as instil in them a spirit to pursue truth and innovation.”

Mr Yeung added that the Education Bureau has injected $1.6 billion into the Gifted Education Fund from 2016, and has supported 17 off-school advanced learning programmes offered by different post-secondary institutions and organisations in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years.

These programmes unleash gifted students’ potential through challenging learning activities, and enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness in the long run, he said.

The APhO aims to promote physics education as well as nurture and inspire students who are highly talented in physics. In the 21st APhO held from May 17 to 24, around 181 contestants from 22 countries or cities participated in the competition.

Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, contestants participated in their own country or city under online monitoring and joined virtual activities.

Members of the Hong Kong team had earlier distinguished themselves in last year’s Hong Kong Physics Olympiad, and received training under the enrichment programme arranged by the Academy for Gifted Education.

The outstanding students in the programme were then selected as contestants representing Hong Kong to participate in the APhO this year.

The Hong Kong team’s participation in the competition was fully funded by the Education Bureau.