Alumni Stories
Competing for a cause
Winning a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games is something that ж¶Òõ alumnus Wai Ki Lau (Ricky) had never imagined was possible as a person without disability.
His administrative position at the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, and his knowledge and experience in sports coaching led him down the path of working in partnership with disabled boccia athletes, and earned him a place on the podium.
Boccia is a precision ball sport specifically designed for athletes with physical disabilities, particularly severe motor impairments. Similar to bocce, each team aims to get their balls as close as possible to a white target ball. For players unable to throw, assistive devices such as ramps can be utilised to launch the ball.
Ricky holds the role of ramp operator for athletes who have the boccia classification of BC3.
“BC3 athletes have significant limitations in arm and leg functions, and poor or no trunk control,” says Ricky.
“With the help of a ramp and an assistant, they can compete at the highest levels.”
Ramp operators are recognised athletes and must conform to the rules applied to athletes.
“Ramp operators must keep their back to the court and their eyes averted from play,” explains Ricky. “I’m not allowed to speak, so my partner and I practise communicating via facial expressions or hand signals.”
Ricky’s 2024 Paralympics partner, Tak Wah Tse, has cerebral palsy, which can result in extremely limited range of movement and difficulties enunciating clearly.
Together they won the first Paralympic medal for Hong Kong, China in the boccia BC3 mixed pairs event. This marked an historic achievement for the boccia team, which topped the boccia medal table with three gold and two silver medals.
The win followed disappointment in Tokyo 2020, where the team lost in the BC3 mixed pairs bronze medal match, and missed the podium.
“After Tokyo, we were very frustrated and disappointed,” Ricky says.
“We cried a lot after the match. But we returned to Hong Kong, and got back into training.
“Eventually, we worked out what we needed to do to build our strength and get us on the podium. We worked together and discussed our performance a lot. We tried to do as much as we could to analyse our opponents and enhance our performance, and we also worked with our head coach, nutritionists and psychologists to make sure we were at our best.”
Before becoming involved in the elite sporting world, Ricky completed a Bachelor of Sport Management at the ж¶Òõ in 2010. He says his time in Canberra equipped him with the knowledge and skills required to work in such a sport- focused role.
“I liked Canberra very much. It’s quiet and life moves at a slower pace compared to in Hong Kong. I also tried to explore the sporting culture in Canberra and observe different sports I hadn’t been exposed to before,” he says.
“I’d never played rugby or cricket before, and I experienced those during my time in Australia. I find I have been able to apply those skills into boccia, as well as the mindset.”
Throughout his time coaching and playing boccia, Ricky has been able to help many para-athletes achieve their goals, something he says he is incredibly proud of.
“It feels amazing to be able to be involved, because it is one of the only sports where the assistant is recognised as an athlete as well, so we have to compete as a partnership,” he says.
“My partner and I need to know each other really well, so chasing the dream together is really amazing, and it’s not easy to achieve.”
Looking ahead, Ricky would love to compete or be involved in future Games in Los Angeles and Brisbane, and continue working with the boccia community, China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee and Sports Association for the Physically Disabled of Hong Kong, China. He also recently welcomed a new addition to the family.
“My daughter was born just two months before the Paris Paralympics,” he says.
“I wouldn’t have been able to go if it wasn’t for family supporting us, supporting my job and supporting my dream – which became a dream come true.”
Words by Elly Mackay, photos by China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee and Sports Association for the Physically Disabled of Hong Kong, China.