The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has pledged its full support for local athletes competing in the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, backing the delegation with cash incentives of up to HK$2 million for team gold medal winners.
Club chairman Martin Liao Cheung-kong and chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges attended a flag presentation ceremony on Tuesday to send off the Hong Kong, China delegation ahead of the Games, which are scheduled to take place in Japan from September 19 to October 4.
Liao said the club, as a world-class equine sports organisation, has consistently supported athletic development at both elite and community levels through a wide range of initiatives, aiming to broaden participation at the grass-roots level.
Through the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme (JCAIAS), the club provides cash incentives to Hong Kong, China athletes to encourage excellence at major events and inspire peak performance in elite competitions, Liao said, wishing the delegation every success at the Games.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will mark the first major event under a new cycle of the JCAIAS announced in August. Implemented in partnership with the Hong Kong Sports Institute, the scheme will cover seven major upcoming sporting events.
Under the incentive scheme, cash awards will be provided to team members winning gold, silver and bronze medals in both individual and team events. Gold medallists in individual events will receive HK$1 million, while silver and bronze medallists will be awarded HK$500,000 and HK$250,000 respectively.
For team events, winning cash awards are set at HK$2 million for gold, HK$1 million for silver, and HK$500,000 for bronze.
