Muguruza and Moses – Two generations of Laureus athletes champion youth in Hong Kong
Model City Hong Kong is changing lives through teamwork and two all-time sporting greats joined forces to help the cause.
Two sporting legends whose athletic peaks were separated by three decades united in Hong Kong, China, this week for a common cause: to support a partnership between Laureus Sport for Good and a cross-section of the sports community in Hong Kong that is using sport to address a crisis in youth mental health.
Two-time Olympic champion Edwin Moses’ legendary 10-year winning streak in the 400 metres hurdles ended in 1987; Garbiñe Muguruza was born six years later and went on to win two Grand Slam singles titles in tennis and attained the world No.1 ranking in 2017. Both are now on the same team.
Muguruza – who became a Laureus Ambassador after announcing her retirement from tennis at the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards – and Moses, the founding chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, got a 360-degree view of the work done by Laureus in the region during a multi-stop visit of Hong Kong.
Two-time Olympic champion Edwin Moses’ legendary 10-year winning streak in the 400 metres hurdles ended in 1987; Garbiñe Muguruza was born six years later and went on to win two Grand Slam singles titles in tennis and attained the world No.1 ranking in 2017. Both are now on the same team.
Muguruza – who became a Laureus Ambassador after announcing her retirement from tennis at the 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards – and Moses, the founding chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, got a 360-degree view of the work done by Laureus in the region during a multi-stop visit of Hong Kong.
Muguruza dropped in to the Po Leung Kuk Lam Man Chan School in the city, where she found out more about one of the projects in Model City Hong Kong (MCHK) – and got to participate in one of the sessions. The two-time Grand Slam tennis champion found herself jumping rope with, and answering questions from, some of the over 300 children reached by MCHK.
Laureus has supported MCHK since 2020. MCHK is an ambitious project which brings together a coalition of sports organisations, education institutions, mental health professionals and other NGOs, co-ordinating their efforts and developing best practice that benefits programmes across the region. MCHK is part of the Laureus Sport for Good Cities project, celebrating its 10-year anniversary and now active in New Orleans, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, London, Paris, Delhi and Hong Kong.
Laureus has supported MCHK since 2020. MCHK is an ambitious project which brings together a coalition of sports organisations, education institutions, mental health professionals and other NGOs, co-ordinating their efforts and developing best practice that benefits programmes across the region. MCHK is part of the Laureus Sport for Good Cities project, celebrating its 10-year anniversary and now active in New Orleans, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, London, Paris, Delhi and Hong Kong.
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Moses and Muguruza were special guests at a photographic exhibition celebrating the unique sporting culture in Hong Kong and the work of Laureus-supported programmes in the city; a gala dinner at the Hong Kong Football Club, with a unique partnership raising funds to support the work of Laureus in the region; and a philanthropy forum at the prestigious home of long-standing Laureus partner, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, where the Laureus representatives shared ideas with change-makers from around the world. But it was the moment of connection with the young people of Model City Hong Kong that touched Muguruza.
“This is the reason I wanted to be a part of the Laureus family,” said the 2017 Wimbledon champion after her visit to the MCHK programme. “I have a strong belief in the power of sport to change the lives of young people and that’s exactly what is being achieved here by the Model City Hong Kong Initiative.
“This is the reason I wanted to be a part of the Laureus family,” said the 2017 Wimbledon champion after her visit to the MCHK programme. “I have a strong belief in the power of sport to change the lives of young people and that’s exactly what is being achieved here by the Model City Hong Kong Initiative.
“Working together and with the support of advocates in education, health and local government, they are meeting the challenge of youth mental health head on. There’s so much we can learn from what is happening here – and so much still to do.”
Muguruza continued: “When I retired from competition earlier this year, I faced a dilemma that all athletes will experience: what now? I knew that I wanted to make a difference and Laureus not only helps me to achieve that aim, but I can do it alongside sportswomen and men who share those same values.”
Laureus began its work in Hong Kong in 2005 and since then has developed a lasting influence in the region, which includes partnerships with cornerstones of sport in Hong Kong. Since 2018, Laureus Sport for Good has been the official charity partner of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, one of world rugby’s premier events, and in 2023 staged the Laureus Charity Golf Invitational at the idyllic Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club.
Laureus began its work in Hong Kong in 2005 and since then has developed a lasting influence in the region, which includes partnerships with cornerstones of sport in Hong Kong. Since 2018, Laureus Sport for Good has been the official charity partner of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, one of world rugby’s premier events, and in 2023 staged the Laureus Charity Golf Invitational at the idyllic Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club.
“Our commitment to Sport for Good in Hong Kong, China is longstanding and unwavering,” said Edwin Moses, who shared a stage with Nelson Mandela when the Laureus mission was launched in 2000.
“As we have seen the impact of Model City Hong Kong grow, we have also seen Hong Kong grow as a centre for elite sport. The past 12 months have seen the return of the ATP tennis tour to Hong Kong, and of course Laureus is proud to be a partner of the Hong Kong Sevens, a unique and beloved event on the global sporting calendar.
“However, it remains our priority to change lives at a grassroots level and the work done by Model City Hong Kong in tackling a crisis in youth mental health is exemplary. The young people in this city and across the wider region have a champion in Laureus, and in our partners, and we intend to be here for them for many years to come. That’s possible in part because of new members of the Laureus family like Garbiñe – it’s wonderful to see the impact her visit to our programme here has had on her. That’s what makes Laureus so special – I know that feeling well, and it never gets old.”
“As we have seen the impact of Model City Hong Kong grow, we have also seen Hong Kong grow as a centre for elite sport. The past 12 months have seen the return of the ATP tennis tour to Hong Kong, and of course Laureus is proud to be a partner of the Hong Kong Sevens, a unique and beloved event on the global sporting calendar.
“However, it remains our priority to change lives at a grassroots level and the work done by Model City Hong Kong in tackling a crisis in youth mental health is exemplary. The young people in this city and across the wider region have a champion in Laureus, and in our partners, and we intend to be here for them for many years to come. That’s possible in part because of new members of the Laureus family like Garbiñe – it’s wonderful to see the impact her visit to our programme here has had on her. That’s what makes Laureus so special – I know that feeling well, and it never gets old.”
