The Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong handed out awards to 17 people ©The Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong

The Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong has announced three recipients of the Bronze Bauhinia Star for 2015, which aims to recognise their significant contribution to sport in the country.

Awarded to people who have given outstanding service over a prolonged period of time, the honour is part of the Order of the Bauhinia Star, introduced in 1997 to replace the British honours system.

At a ceremony, International Olympic Committee member Timothy Fok, President of the National Olympic Committee, presented the three awards while also presenting five Medal of Honour and recognising nine people who had been announced as recipients of the Chief Executive’s Commendation for Community Service.

Director of the China Travel Service, Yiu Si Wing, was presented with the Bronze Bauhinia Star by Fok, along with Ng Chak Lin, who had received the Medal of Honour in 2007.

The third recipient of the honour was revealed to be Yau Kam Ping.

Michael Tanner, one of the founding members of the Hong Kong, China Rowing Association, was given a Medal of Honour in the awards list for 2015, along with  Kwan Mak Hin and Hayley Victoria Chan.

Chan has been one of the country’s most prominent sailors in recent years, having represented Hong Kong in sailing at the London 2012 Olympics following her silver medal in the mistral class at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

Her compatriot Cheng Kwok Fai also earned the honour, with the windsurfer having been crowned as the 2006 mistral class world champion, before securing the Asian Championship title in the same event.

Shek Wai Hung, who became the country’s first gymnastics gold medallist at the Asian Games when he triumphed in the vault in Incheon, was also given the medal of honour.

Meanwhile rugby union player Rowan Varty, sailor Sonia Lo Sin Lam, swimmer Tang Wai Lok and Paralympic gold medallist Chiu Chung Lun were  granted the chief executive’s Commendation for Community Service.

Hayley Victoria Chan was one of the athletes honoured on the list
Hayley Victoria Chan was one of the athletes honoured on the list ©Getty Images

The University of Hong Kong’s Leung Ho Tsu, table tennis play Lee Ho Ching, karate athlete Lee Ka Wai and another sailor, Leung Ho Tsun, also received the award, as well as the late British designer Alexander McQueen.

Fok also revealed Pang Chung, the advisor of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, with the IOC Trophy 2015 for Sport and Innovation, in recognition of his initiative to develop a sports legacy scheme in Hong Kong, which is claimed to have benefited the secondary schools, their students and retired athletes.