Over 1,200 brave frigid waters in HK's annual New Year's Day winter swim

More than 1,200 participants joined the annual New Year's Day winter swim this morning (Jan. 1), held in the Southern District of Hong Kong. The event started at Middle Bay and ended at Repulse Bay, covering a 600-meter course. The competition was divided into a racing group and a recreational group, with the oldest swimmer aged 78 and the youngest just 6 years old. The fastest male swimmer completed the course in approximately 6 minutes and 50 seconds.

In the women's open category, an 11-year-old swimmer clinched first place for the second consecutive year. She shared that she had initially aimed for a top-three finish and was thrilled to surpass her expectations. Meanwhile, the men's open champion, a 13-year-old secondary school student, finished in 6 minutes and 51 seconds. He said that the seawater was extremely cold but expressed excitement about his unexpected victory, having initially aimed for a top-five finish.

Among the swimmers was Mr. Tong, who lost his right leg to bone cancer years ago. A regular winter swim participant since 1983, he shared that his focus is no longer on rankings but on enjoying the experience. For the new year, his wish is to stay healthy and continue swimming.

Related News:

CE delivers New Year's message on two major goals for 2025

Watch This | New Year celebration in border area in Xinjiang, China