Chung Chi College is dedicated to nurturing students with the attributes of excellence in academics and sports. Regarding the latter, some take a proactive approach to train up and take challenges after unleashing their athletic potential, having garnered accolades in the sports arena. Mr. Li Kin Hei William, a year two Chung Chi student pursuing Bimodal Bilingual Studies, broke the country’s junior squat record and won gold at the Asian Pacific African Classic Powerlifting Championship 2023 under the 66kg Junior category. With the two other events, bench press and deadlift, he won the Junior Championship under 66kg with a total score of 540kg. How did he find powerlifting interesting and engage in training and competitions afterwards? How does he prepare for tournaments?

Q: When did you get exposed to powerlifting? How did you translate your interest into the momentum for competing in tournaments?

I started to do gymnastics when I was a form six student, and got exposed to powerlifting, which covers three lifts including squat, bench press, and deadlift. I found my performance in deadlift is better than that of other athletes of the same age, and the gap between the Hong Kong record and mine is not too big. Therefore, I aspired to have more attempts and take up more challenges in powerlifting. Afterwards, I noticed from online resources that Mr. Colin Kam, who is a powerlifting coach, can provide relevant training. I then approached him and asked him to be my coach, in the hope of learning the proper posture for powerlifting. After receiving training for three months, I first attempted a local deadlift competition and garnered the first runner-up. Three months later, I had my second attempt in an official powerlifting competition, in which I won first place and started to have an official record. The third one was the Asian-Pacific-African Classic Powerlifting Championship 2023.

William has to stringently control his diet a month in advance of the competition. He cooks three meals daily to make sure the total daily energy absorption does not exceed 2,500 calories.

Q: How do you train up yourself and prepare for tournaments?

Apart from doing regular training six days a week, I have to keep my bodyweight at 66 kilograms or below during competitions. As my bodyweight is around 68 to 69 kilograms on normal days, I have to stringently control my diet a month in advance of the competition. To reduce my bodyweight, I cook three meals myself every day to make sure the total daily energy absorption does not exceed 2,500 calories. The diet must cover 60% protein, 30% carbohydrates, and 10% fat. A week before the competition, I have to undergo dehydration to lose weight further. I have to drink eight litres of water daily to raise the volume of water displacement continuously. When my body gets used to the increasing water displacement, I manage to keep losing my bodyweight during the competition.

William found his performance in deadlift is better than that of other athletes of the same age, and aspired to take up more challenges in powerlifting.

Q: Why did you decide to study at university instead of being a full-time athlete? What would you like to pursue upon graduation?

I am fond of literature and languages, and hope to acquire more knowledge about these aspects by pursuing bimodal bilingual studies. On the other hand, I hope to be an amateur athlete to cultivate my interest in powerlifting. Studying at university not only leads to self-enhancement, but also facilitates my future development after I have obtained academic credentials. After graduation, I hope to establish a Hong Kong gymnastics brand online, offering coaching and nutrition consultation; as well as running a business in sportswear and nutrition beverages. To get myself prepared, I am initiating a gymnastics society and hope to get approval and support from the University. I hope to encourage more classmates to develop regular exercise habits and promote powerlifting through the gymnastics society. Powerlifting is a niche sport for the time being. If it becomes more popular, the Hong Kong government may provide more support to it, which is also another goal that I hope to fulfil.