More than 6,300 athletes, families and community members gathered at Wan Chai Sports Ground as AS Watson marked its 185th anniversary through four days of athletics, competition and community activities. The Watsons Athletic Club Annual Challenge, held across two consecutive weekends, combined elite competition with events designed to bring people of different ages and abilities onto the track.
The competition took place on September 26 and 27 and October 3 and 4, with organisers reporting full enrolment for the seventh consecutive year. Participants ranged from children as young as five to a 67 year old competitor in the newly introduced 185m Open Challenge, created specifically to mark the company's anniversary.
The event reflected AS Watson's anniversary theme, "Grow As One", which focuses on shared progress and participation across generations. Rather than limiting the celebration to the company's history, organisers used sport to connect employees, athletes, families and members of the wider community.
185m Challenge Opens Athletics to the Community
The centrepiece of the anniversary programme was the AS Watson Group 185th Anniversary 185m Open Challenge. The race invited participants from across the community to compete over a distance chosen to represent AS Watson's 185 years.
The event provided an opportunity for people who may not regularly compete in organised athletics to experience a track competition alongside younger athletes pursuing higher levels of performance.
The wide age range of participants demonstrated the organisers' intention to make the anniversary event accessible beyond established athletes. The youngest participant in the overall programme was five, while the 185m challenge included a 67 year old competitor.
For AS Watson, the response reinforced the idea that community sport can involve more than watching major competitions. It can also give ordinary participants a chance to become part of the action.
Rebecca Chiu Wing Yin, Community Relations Manager of AS Watson, said the company was encouraged by the public response and by the willingness of people to participate directly in sporting activities.
"We are very encouraged to see the public move beyond watching and appreciating sports events to actively taking part in sport themselves, working together to promote a healthy and vibrant community culture," Chiu said.
The 185m race also gave the anniversary a physical expression. Participants could pursue a personal best, compete against others, support younger runners or simply experience an organised athletics event with family and friends.
Families Take Part Beyond the Track
The Annual Challenge was not limited to competitive athletics. Organisers included activities aimed at children and families, creating opportunities for younger participants to become involved in physical activity alongside their parents.
Kids Athletics and the 100m Family Relay were among the programmes designed to encourage children to stay active while giving families an opportunity to exercise together. The activities also placed emphasis on interaction between parents and children rather than competition alone.
The wider event area featured interactive booths operated by brands and partner organisations. Visitors could take part in games and activities while receiving information related to health and healthy daily habits.
This combination of competition and community programming allowed the event to attract people with different interests and levels of sporting experience. Experienced athletes could focus on their events, while families could participate in recreational activities without needing to enter the main competition.
The approach also fitted the broader anniversary message. AS Watson, which was founded in Hong Kong in 1841, has grown from a small dispensary into an international health and beauty retailer. Its 185th anniversary campaign places emphasis on customers, employees and communities as part of that history.
Young Athletes Compete for New Records
While the Annual Challenge opened its doors to the wider community, it retained a strong competitive element for trained athletes.
Sanctioned by the Hong Kong China Association of Athletics Affiliates, the competition featured male and female divisions across six age categories. The programme included 13 track events, six field events and two relay events, giving athletes opportunities to compete against others in their respective categories.
Several young competitors produced notable results during the competition.
Jasper Koo Cheuk Fung, Wang Nok Wang and Walter Yip Tin Ching were among the athletes who showed promise. Cheung Cheuk He recorded 52.57 seconds in the Under 18 men's 400m hurdles, setting a new Hong Kong youth record.
Xie Jia Hui also produced one of the competition's standout performances. She recorded a throw of 14.52 metres in the Under 18 women's shot put, breaking the Hong Kong youth record in the event.
For young athletes, performances at competitions such as the Annual Challenge can provide more than medals. Regular racing allows competitors to test themselves under pressure, assess their progress and gain experience that cannot be replicated fully in training.
That development forms part of WAC's longer term work with young athletes.
WAC Has Supported Athletes Since 1989
Watsons Athletic Club was established by AS Watson in 1989 and has developed into one of Hong Kong's established athletics organisations.
The club now has more than 2,100 members, including nearly 100 athletes and coaches who are members of Team Hong Kong. Its Watsons Junior Elite Training Programme, launched in 2001, has supported more than 700 high potential junior athletes.
The programme's role extends beyond preparing young competitors for races. WAC works with parents to support athletes in areas including sport, academic achievement and personal conduct.
That broader approach recognises that young athletes have responsibilities outside competition. Training and competition can demand significant time and discipline, making support from parents, coaches and the wider organisation important as children progress through school and into higher levels of sport.
For athletes who eventually reach international competition, the process often begins with local races where they learn how to compete, manage pressure and measure their performance against other athletes.
WAC Athletes Reach Asian Competition
The connection between the club's grassroots programmes and elite sport was also visible at the recent Nagoya Asian Games.
Nearly half of Hong Kong's 37 track and field representatives at the Games came from WAC, demonstrating the club's contribution to the city's athletics programme.
Among those athletes was Chan Chun Ho, who broke Hong Kong records in both the men's 400m and 400m hurdles. Chin Man Kit finished fifth in the men's half marathon race walk, while Lin Ming Fu placed eighth in the men's long jump.
Their performances provide younger athletes competing at events such as the Annual Challenge with examples of how local development programmes can lead to international competition.
The pathway is not limited to athletes who eventually reach the Asian Games. Competitive experience can also help young people develop discipline, confidence and an understanding of how to set and pursue personal goals.
A Sporting Celebration of 185 Years
The Annual Challenge brought together two different sides of athletics. At one end were established competitors chasing records and testing themselves against strong opposition. At the other were children, parents and community participants taking part for fitness, enjoyment and the experience of competing together.
The 185m Open Challenge connected those groups by giving people from different generations a shared place on the track.
For AS Watson, the event also provided a way to connect its long history in Hong Kong with its current community activities. Founded in 1841, the company used its 185th anniversary to focus not only on its past but also on participation, health and opportunities for younger generations.
At Wan Chai Sports Ground, that message was expressed through four days of competition and activities involving thousands of people.
The records set by young athletes, the participation of families and the response to the 185m Open Challenge all pointed to the same practical goal: creating more opportunities for people to take part in sport and develop through that experience.
Could more community sporting events help bring different generations together while encouraging healthier everyday habits?