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| December 1999 Rachel Chiu Pik Kwan "I Feel Empty without Sport" By Vien Wong Article from the same
section: Hosting a television programme for children and being an athlete may seem unrelated to each other. But Miss Rachel Chiu Pik Kwan, host of Hong Kong Cable Television’s Children’s Channel and an amateur athlete, shows how they are related. She has been participating in sports events such as distant running and triathlons for over 20 years. She was the champion of the Western Tunnel Ten-Kilometer Race held in February 1999. Rachel’s athletic life began when she was admitted to the gymnastic and track-and-field team of her primary school. “I was not a quiet kid. Sports teams seemed suitable to me,” Rachel said. Since then, a lot of practice and competitions followed. “I have interest and ability in sports and it gives me a sense of success and satisfaction. When other children showed their talents in music and art, I found myself in sports,” Rachel said. She added that she could be trained to be more determined. The training also inspires her a lot. “With a goal ahead, my life has become more meaningful,” said she. “I feel empty without sports.” At first she did not mean to train herself for competitions. “Running is a very efficient way to keep fit,” said Rachel. But later she realized what she could achieve in distant running. Then Rachel took part in some regional events. “Regional events are very good stepping stones. I can assess my ability among local competitors,” said Rachel. “As it is easier to win in these events, one can build up confidence before joining other bigger events, like local competitions, screening competitions for territory representatives and even international events. “I used to be ambitious to win, so I had intensive practice, which finally wore me out,” said Rachel. Due to constant training, Rachel injured one knee in 1986. Then she tried other sports, such as tennis and swimming. She said, “Swimming and cycling speeded up my recovery. And I kept on practicing afterwards and joined triathlon competitions. “Now, instead of winning, I try bringing my potential to a climax.” Of all competitions she has participated in, the Sahara Marathon in April 1999 impressed her most. “I like taking part in races held in special locations,” she said. “I was well-prepared for the marathon, from my physical condition to the equipment. I would never have regretted it even if my athletic life ended up there!” When asked if she would like to be a full-time athlete, Rachel said that she did not because the lifespan of an athlete was too short. She has a full-time job being an amateur athlete. If there is a time clash between her job and a competition, she will sacrifice her interest in sports for her job. Unlike her previous jobs, such as selling sports equipment, her job at Cable Television is not about sports. “I used to be a part-time reporter in the Sports Channel of Cable TV. But they only focused on horse racing and swimming, which I was not interested in; therefore I quit.” Four years ago, she applied for the position as host on the Cable Children’s Channel, and she got the job. “I like this job, especially the role plays,” she said. She added that this job let her see what she had neglected before. She got to know more about children. Rachel said that parents could see themselves in their children, who followed what they said and did all the time. So, parents should teach their children carefully. Although she likes sports very much, she said that she did not have any intention to teach children sports. “Nowadays children are spoiled by their parents. Their attitudes are worse than before,” said Rachel. She said providing sport training for children was difficult nowadays. She said that parents were usually so protective that they would not allow their children to have any harsh sports training. “But for sure, sports training is harsh,” said she. |
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