HK's swimmer-turned singer to take stage as torchbearer

HONG KONG, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Alex Fong Lik-sun, a professional swimmer-turned singer and actor, will be a torchbearer in the Hong Kong leg of the relay on Friday.

"It's really an honor to be involved in three Olympics," Fong said in an interview with Xinhua, referring to the Olympic Games in Sydney, Athens and Beijing.

Fong, 28, represented Hong Kong, China in Sydney in 2000 but failed to reach the finals. When Beijing won the right to host the Olympics in 2000, his career as a professional swimmer had come to an end.

"I was thinking, the Olympic Games will be in China. How wonderful it would be if I can be part of it," he recalled.

Fong was enrolled in the Chinese University after retiring from the pool. He became a singer and established himself as an athletic and youthful pop idol.

Fong will take the stage as the sixth torchbearer Friday in the Hong Kong leg of the Olympic torch relay, coming after prominent stars including Hong Kong's first gold medal Olympian Lee Lai-shan and super star singer and actor Andy Lau and passing on to another singer as he ran through a section of the route in Kowloon.

Fong said he was excited about being a torchbearer because it makes up for his not being able to represent Hong Kong, China as a swimmer.

"I am proud to help show Hong Kong as an international and modern city, especially the skyscrapers on both sides of the Victoria Harbor," he said.

"I like the design of the torch very much. I think I will take it back home and put it in the most prominent place," Fong said.

Fong also took part in the torch relay as one of the bearers in Athens in 2004. His father took the trouble to mount the torch he came back with, the singer said.

The rising pop star tried to live up to being a role model and helped promote the Games by shooting advertisements and taking part in countdowns to the event.

Fong said he was looking forward to the Games and hoping the best for Chinese swimmers. "It is the pool that I cared for the most. I am hoping Wu Peng can be at his best and get the first men's swimming gold for China," he said.