Author: admin

It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of John Casey. John was a very active member of AVOHK and a committee member for many years. He will be missed by many. A funeral service will be held for John on 2nd October and full details have been sent out to all members. Anyone wishing to attend should email Colin Whittington at vice-chair@avohk.org.

AVOHK’s 40th Anniversary 5k Handicap Run is set for 29th October. If you haven’t signed up yet, please visit our website at www.avohk.org to register. The run is a members-only event and there are only 50 spaces. It is free to join the run and all runners will get a special 40th anniversary T-shirt.

We will also be hosting a celebration dinner at Fini’s in Wanchai. The evening will start with free flow of drinks from 6:30 until 8:30 and a dinner of casual Italian food (including vegetarian options) will be served at 8 o’clock. The cost is $250 for AVOHK members and $300 for non-members.

To book your place at the dinner, please RSVP to frank.riehm@gmail.com.

Payment options:

• Cheque payable to AVOHK, mailed to PO Box 28893, Gloucester Road Post Office, Wanchai.
• Direct transfer to AVOHK at HSBC 018-363366-001. Please email a copy of the pay-in slip with names of the people paid for.

I hope that everyone is managing to enjoy their training through the heat of the Hong Kong summer. Those braving the oppressive conditions have been rewarded with stunning views and gorgeous blue skies.

The racing scene in HK has continued to suffer from the tight restrictions in place but our swimmers are back in the pool and we have had some great results from running races which have taken place.

World Masters Athletics Championships
There is a detailed report from Colin Whittington later in the newsletter about the Hong Kong team who recently travelled to Finland for The World Masters Athletics Championships. We had 6 athletes competing this year and they produced a string of PBs and Hong Kong age group records. Congratulations to all of them and I would particularly like to mention Willie Kung, who competed in the M60 long jump and won bronze. What an amazing achievement!

AVOHK are the governing body for masters athletics in Hong Kong and we have a long history of sending teams to meets around the world. Athletes do not need to be AVOHK members to represent Hong Kong and we welcome athletes from all events and age groups who are keen to take part in international meets. Please keep an eye on our website for details of overseas meets.

Hong Kong Athletics Championships 2022
Closer to home, HKAAA did a great job of organising the Hong Kong Athletics Championships, which were held in blistering heat last month at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground. AVOHK was able to enter a team of 5 runners. Congratulations to Charlotte Hall who is the new HK 5000m champion.

Sun Hung Kai Properties HK 10k Championships, Tin Shui Wai, 28th August
AVOHK has entered 17 runners for the HK 10k Championships which will take place next month. We are still waiting to hear whether all of our runners will be accepted into the elite race, but we wish all of our runners the very best of luck!

Elaine Hall
Chair, AVOHK

AGM
Our AGM took place over Zoom last week and I would like to thank everyone who joined the meeting or took the time to submit a proxy. Most of our office bearers have been re-elected to serve another term, but I would to thank our out-going treasurer Peter Wong, who has completed his term and therefore had to step down (per our constitution). I am pleased to say that Peter will remain on the committee and will still be involved in our events. Nigel Raymont was elected as our new treasurer and will take over from Peter this summer. Nigel may be familiar to our members as, along with fellow committee member Aldo Kriel, he was instrumental in building our new AVOHK website which launched at the beginning of this year. You might also remember him from the enthusiastic singalong at the end of our 2021 Christmas Party!

World Masters Athletics Championships and General Assembly

Our vice-chair Colin Whittington will be the Hong Kong delegate at the 2022 World Masters Athletics General Assembly, which will be taking place in Tampere, Finland, next month. There will be a small Hong Kong team of 5 athletes competing in the WMA Championships, also in Tampere. We wish them all the best and look forward to hearing all about the meeting in our next newsletter.

Hong Kong Athletics Championships
Closer to home, we have 4 of our runners racing for AVOHK in the Hong Kong Athletics Championships at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground this weekend.
Good luck to all of them!

Elaine Hall
Chair

AGM

Due to current government restrictions, and the number of committee members who are currently overseas, the AVOHK Committee voted to hold a virtual AGM this year. In accordance with our constitution, our AGM will be held at 7pm on Wednesday, 15th June 2022, and formal notice will be sent out next week, along with proxy forms. The business of the AGM will be to receive and consider the Chair’s report and Treasurer’s report, to elect office holders and General Committee members, and to transact any other business of which due notice has been given. Since we are not holding the customary social event after the AGM this year, we will be presenting our Athlete of the Year trophies at a later date, hopefully to coincide with our anniversary celebrations in October.

All members are welcome to attend our AGM and Full Members, but not Junior Members, are eligible to vote. I would urge all members to submit a proxy form if they are unable to attend so that they can nominate a member to vote on their behalf. This year we have vacancies for the post of Vice-Chair and Treasurer and would welcome nominations for these roles. We would also welcome new General Committee members who are keen to get involved in race management, organising social events or sourcing souvenirs and medals.

We are also still looking for someone to take responsibility for our environmental policy.

Of course, members are free to nominate candidates for any of our other roles. A nomination form is attached.

If members would like to bring up any matter at the AGM, please submit notice to chair@avohk.org not less than 48 hours before the AGM.

MALCOLM PHILLIPS VIRTUAL AGE-GRADED 5K

Results are already starting to come in for the annual age-graded 5k! The Malcolm Phillips race is open until midnight on Monday, 30th May, and runners can still enter at:

Please upload results to the link on the entry form. We have had some great temperatures for running lately so this may be your chance to get that age-graded PB!

Elaine Hall
Chair, AVOHK