Students who got to meet Hong Kong's Olympians in person on Wednesday said they learnt a valuable lesson. The sharing session, which followed an open-top bus parade by the athletes, took place behind closed doors inside government headquarters in Tamar and lasted about half an hour. Charlie, who trains in track and field, said she found out what it takes to become an elite athlete. "I think it's a great opportunity for us student athletes to have a better understanding of how high, elite-level athletes, how they compete, what they prepare mentally, physically and also maybe psychologically on such a big stage, the Olympic stage," she said. "So it's a great experience for us to know more about the profession, and also it allows us to be more motivated for our own respective sport." After the session, the athletes headed outdoors to meet fans who had been waiting at Tamar Park. Swimmer Siobhan Haughey drew cheers everywhere she went, and she stopped to sign autographs. The Olympians then gathered on the lawn for a photo with some primary school pupils. The athletes' packed schedule was set to continue in the afternoon with a lunch hosted by Chief Executive John Lee, followed by a joint reception by the SAR government and the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China.
