No regrets for local swimmer despite low pay for athletes
Macau swimmer Terence Chao
A local swimmer has expressed no regrets for going professional, despite the city’s low remuneration for athletes, Hong Kong media has reported.
Dubbed the “King of Breaststroke of Macau,” with 29 local records under his belt, 27-year-old swimmer Terence Chao Man Hou recently completed his journey to the 20th World Aquatics Championships, held in Fukuoka, Japan between July 14 and 30. The swimmer finished 27th and 38th in the Men’s 50-meter and 100-meter events, with times of 27.84 seconds and 1 minute, 2.19 seconds respectively.
Chao finished the 50-meter event in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games two places ahead of Japanese swimmer Daiya Seto.
Despite these good results, he did not get commensurate time in the limelight. In an interview with Hong Kong media outlet HK01, he conceded that the most famous attractions in Macau are Portuguese custard tarts, casinos and the Macau Grand Prix.
Following his achievements at the Asian Games, he made it to elite athlete accreditation, but said that he is only mid-stream.
The news report cited the Sports Bureau of Macau’s disclosure that elite athletes are entitled to remuneration ranging from MOP1,500 to MOP25,000 per month, with the highest level going to gold medalists at World Championships or Asian Games.
Chao told the Hong Kong media outlet that there are not many full-time or professional athletes in Macau. Many consider ending their sporting careers early, and he suspects the cause is the lack of participation in the Olympic Games.
Having decided to go professional, life has not been easy. To Chao, glory comes first, as he told the media that he wants to show Macau to the world.
Several days ago, the government published its criteria for talent acquisition, under which world champion athletes and Olympic or Asian Games gold medalists will be eligible to apply for residency in Macau.
