High School Athletics Participation Data Reveals Shifts in Hong Kong Fitness Culture

Participation in Hong Kong secondary school athletics dropped again last year, with just 41,200 students registered for inter-school track and field competitions during the 2025-26 season.

The decline matters because it coincides with renewed emphasis on physical activity after years of pandemic restrictions and screen-heavy routines. Schools across the city report fewer students turning up for after-class training sessions even as the Education Bureau pushes daily exercise targets under its 2024 Active School Programme.

Local programmes feel the squeeze

At Queen's College on Causeway Road in Wan Chai, athletics team numbers fell from 68 to 49 between 2024 and 2025. Across the harbour in Mong Kok, the Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation recorded similar drops at several Kowloon schools that once sent large squads to the annual Hong Kong Stadium meet. Coaches say students now favour shorter sessions at commercial gyms on Nathan Road rather than committing to twice-weekly track work at public facilities like the Aberdeen Sports Ground.

The data comes from the federation's annual census compiled in May 2026 and cross-checked against school returns to the Education Bureau. Average training fees at private clubs have risen to HK$380 per month, while school programmes remain free yet still lose members. The same report shows girls' participation fell faster than boys', dropping 18 percent in events such as the 400-metre and long jump.

Next steps for families and schools

Parents can check the federation website for free open-track sessions scheduled at Victoria Park on Saturday mornings through August. Schools planning 2026-27 timetables are being urged to add shorter, flexible training blocks that fit around tutorial schedules common in districts such as Kowloon Tong. The federation will release updated registration numbers in September.