World No. 25 Jessica Yang (Tennis) was amongst the half dozen names confirmed as the winners of the 2008 HKSI Outstanding Junior Athlete Award (2nd quarter). The objective of this award scheme is to recognize as well as encourage continued sporting excellence from Hong Kong's top junior athletes in both local and international competitions.

The other winners for the 2008 (2nd quarter) were Fung Wai Yee (Athletics), Lai Chun Ho (Athletics), Choi Ki Ho (Cycling), Au Chun Ming (Squash), and Ho Ka Po (Squash).

Earlier this March, Jessica managed to reach the semifinals of two Grade 1 events on the ITF World Junior Circuit – the ITF/LTAT Junior Championships in Thailand and the 19th Mitsubishi-Lancer International Juniors Championships in the Philippines.

The following month, she equalled both Paulette Moreno and Venise Chan's previous achievement in reaching the final of the GB1 Asian Closed Junior Tennis Championships in India, where she finished runner-up to Thailand's current junior world No. 4, Noppawan Lertcheewakarn.

In between second round appearances at the Roland Garros Junior Championships and The Junior Championships at Wimbledon, Jessica also managed to pick up her first grass court title when she teamed up with Beatrice Gumulya (INA) to win the girls' doubles at the G2 Gerry Weber Junior Open in Germany.

In the process, she became the first player from Hong Kong to win a grass court title on the world junior circuit since Patricia Hy claimed the Wimbledon girls' doubles title in 1983.

Last quarter, Kelvin Lam became the first athlete from the sport of tennis to win this award since Zhang Ling in 2007 (1st quarter).

Previously, Yu Hiu Tung was the first and only other tennis player to win this accolade when he did so in the 3rd quarter of 2000 and again in the 4th quarter of 2002.

Other notable athletes to win the HKSI Outstanding Junior Athlete Award over the years include 2001 East Asian Games double gold medalist Wu Siu Hong (Tenpin Bowling) and 2002 Asian Games silver and bronze medalist Law Hiu Fung (Rowing).

Past nominees of the HKSI Outstanding Junior Athlete Award from the sport of tennis include Martin Sayer (2005), Ronald Chow (2004), and Venise Chan (2004 & 2005).

The judging panel of this year's HKSI Outstanding Junior Athlete Award consisted of Mrs. Vivien Fung, JP (Vice-President of SF&OC), Mr. Chu Hoi Kun (Executive Committee Chairman of the HKSP), and Ms. Margaret Siu (Head, Coaching Support Services of HKSI).

The award presentation ceremony will be held on Monday (September 1) at 5pm, Cornwall Café, Cornwall Street Squash & Table Tennis Centre, Tat Chee Road, Kowloon Tong.

For additional information regarding the HKSI Outstanding Junior Athlete Award, its criteria for nomination and eligibility & regulations, etc, please visit the Sports Institute's official website, www.hksi.org.hk.

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