Kinling Lo
Monday, December 07, 2015
In a strange twist of fate, health chief Ko Wing-man ended up in hospital after he came a cropper - on a health run.
The secretary for food and health suffered facial injuries when he tripped over a fallen boy 10 seconds after the start of yesterday's Run for Health event.
The day ended with Ko, 58, released from hospital and tucked up at home - and under doctor's orders to take at least two weeks off to rest.
Ko had set off with special guests on the two-kilometer event on Jockey Club Road in Sheung Shui when the primary- age boy - who had been about three ranks behind the health chief - went on an overtaking surge.
But he tumbled on the paved road in front of Ko, bringing him down as well.
Ko went smack-down on the road, his glasses sent flying and blood starting to flow from his forehead.
Event attendants ran to help him and he was taken to a nearby first-aid station. He was wearing a blue cap and had the right side of his face covered with a dressing as he walked to an ambulance to go to North District Hospital.
The unidentified boy, meanwhile, appeared to get off lightly.
While Ko was bleeding and being treated, the youngster dusted himself off and ran on to complete the two- kilometer course.
Saying he felt much better, Ko was discharged from the hospital at about 11am after tests and treatment covering 2 hours.
He passed along his thanks to those who had showed concern. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and Ko's wife, Amy Kong Man-yee, a specia
Undersecretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee, who takes over the boss' job for two weeks, said of Ko's state: "There was abrasion on his forehead and also the right side of his face. Some cuts were stitched.
"He also had a CT scan done and it showed there was no problem. But there was a crack in an orbital bone."
A spokesman for Ko confirmed: "Wounds on the right side of his face were stitched, there is a small fracture to his right cheekbone and his right eye is a bit swollen."
Ko was to have run the two kilometers with 2,000 others in the parent-child event held by the North District Association for Sports and Culture Development backed by North District office of the Home Affairs Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
Association chairman Hau Yiu- chung was asked whether electronic timers on the road had caused the boy to fall, but he believed not as the devices are designed against slips.
He also said there had been enough space at the starting line for runners to get away cleanly. In fact, 10 people sustained abrasions at different points further along on the course and were treated at first-aid stations.
Louie Lobo Hung-tak, an associate professor for physical education at the Baptist University, said carnival-style races are usually crowded at the starting line as runners of all ages and different abilities set off together.
He also said the weather was cold and runners would have had difficulties with coordination if they had not done adequate warm-up exercises.
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