Talent Development Scholarship

I am Janet KUNG, currently studying the programme of Bachelor of Nursing with Honours in General Health Care at the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK).  I am a nature lover, and a restless person with a penchant for challenging myself.  I have been participating in all kinds of activities ever since I was a child.  I became a Scout at the age of seven and a half, which exposed me to a wide range of experiences.  Scouting activities are not limited to camping and hiking but also include aquatic sports such as canoeing and windsurfing.  At 17, I was nominated by the Scout Association of Hong Kong to receive two-week ice climbing training at Mount Baker in the United States.  This experience piqued my interest in the sport and I became an ice climbing athlete.  I have represented Hong Kong in various world competitions and reached the 21st place in the world ranking of speed ice climbing.

Apart from competing internationally, I am a regular in many local events.  For example, I have been taking part in the annual Bun Scrambling Competition held during the Cheung Chau Jiao Festival since 2012.  I thrice entered the finals and was crowned champion for the first time in 2019.  In retrospect, on the eve of the finals, I was usually affected by all the tension in the air, letting my nerves get the better of me.  Aware of the need to get across this psychological threshold, I hope to identify and overcome my weaknesses through training and competitions, and strive for greater improvement.

This year, I represented the OUHK in the Joint School District Orienteering Championships and finished in the second place.  Orienteering requires participants to identify the correct route in the shortest time possible and complete the course before the time runs out.  To an orienteer, a cool head and good judgement are just as import as body strength.  The activities and competitions mentioned above help develop mental toughness, which all we need for everyday life and work.  More often than not, success hinges on mental toughness.  I have gradually learnt how to calm myself down.  Now, I am capable of composing myself in the face of stressful nursing duties or fierce competitions.

Besides subsidising overseas training and competitions, the Talent Development Scholarship is a token of recognition for the efforts of athletes.  Even if it is not a popular or mainstream activity, as long as you enjoy it and pour your heart into it, you will see improvement and gain others’ encouragement and support over time.  I would like to take this opportunity to share with you the motto of the Scout (as well as mine) – “Be Prepared”.  We should always make ourselves ready for opportunities that come our way lest they should slip away due to our unpreparedness.