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Ronnie Wong Man Chiu
Ronnie Wong Man Chiu, BBS, JP is a former Hong Kong Olympian and water polo player and long-time FINA administrator.
Contents
- 1 Aquatics Career Highlights
- 2 2020 WOWSA Awards
- 3 WOWSA Live Interview with Ronnie Wong
- 4 Members of TOWSC
- 5 Responsibilities
- 6 Olympic 10K Marathon Swim
- 7 Ambassadors of the Sport
- 8 FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup Series
- 9 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix Series
- 10 New World Cross Harbour Race
- 11 FINA 10K Marathon Swimming World Cup in Hong Kong
- 12 External links
Aquatics Career Highlights
- Wong has served as the chairman of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee for the 2009-2013, 2013-2017 and 2017-2021 terms and is the Honorary Secretary of the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association. He is responsible for advising, analyzing, appointing, investigating, studying and recommending rules, regulations, protocols, procedures, equipment and specifications regarding the preparations and execution of open water swimming events sanctioned and organized by FINA, the world's governing body of aquatics.
- He is a 3-time Olympian, swimming the 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games.
- He competed in the 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.
- He served as the Hong Kong Olympic swim team manager at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.
- He was the team captain of the Hong Kong national water polo team at the Asian Games.
- He is an inductee (Honor Administrator) in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, Class of 2021.
- He served as the Starter in the women's and men's 2020 Olympic 10K Marathon Swim in Tokyo Bay held on 4-5 August 2021.
- He is a member of the ISHOF Open Water Nomination Screening Committee.
2020 WOWSA Awards
He was nominated for the 2020 WOWSA Awards in the World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year category with the following nomination: Ronnie Wong has always worked hard, starting before he qualified for two Olympic Games in the 1970's. But in the Year of COVID-19, he had to work especially diligently behind the scenes, making sure that the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim event was not removed from the Olympic calendar as had been rumored. Wong, the 68-year-old chairperson for the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee, worked the phones and gathered information and allies from the global open water swimming committee to convince the International Olympic Committee to, at least until the 2024 Paris Olympics, to keep with the only open water swimming event in the Games. For remaining an energetic and influential force while never calling attention to himself in continuing to promote and organize the sport at its highest levels, for working with the organizers of the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Olympics to navigate the delay of the marathon swim, and for remaining so passionate and objective after over two decades of service to the sport, Ronnie Wong of Hong Kong is a worthy nominee of the 2020 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.
WOWSA Live Interview with Ronnie Wong
Ronnie Wong on the 6 May 2020 WOWSA Live interview with International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame chairman Ned Denison.
Members of TOWSC
2017-2021
The 2017-2021 FINA TOWSC members include:
Chairman: Ronnie Wong
Vice Chairman: Sid Cassidy
Honorary Secretary: Sam Greetham
Athlete Representative: Britta Kamrau
Members: Abdul Monem Khamis Al Alawi, Abdulla Al Zahmi, Luís Baptista, Jorge Delgado, Bill Ford, Avelino Monteiro, Jean-Paul Narce, Andrea Prayer, Fernando Terrilli, Samuel Ufitimana, John West, Tanya Bogomilova, Soh Yew Siang Soh, Morgan Toro Martinez, Noam Zwi, Zouheir El Moufti
2013-2017
The 2013-2017 FINA TOWSC members include:
Chairman: Ronnie Wong of Hong Kong
Vice Chairman: Jorge Delgado Panchana of Ecuador
Honorary Secretary: Andrea Prayer of Italy
Representatives of the African region:
Joaquim Pestana Costa of Angola
David Ngugi of Kenya
Representatives of the Americas region:
Fernando Terrilli of Argentina
Tomas Haces German of Cuba
Sid Cassidy of USA
Representatives of the Asian region:
Abdulmonem Al Alawi of Oman
Mubarak Abdulla Al Zahmi of United Arab Emirates
Representatives of the European region:
Jean Paul Narce of France
Samuel Greetham of Great Britain
Noam Zwi of Israel
Representatives of the Oceania region:
William Ford of Australia
John West of New Zealand
Events Sub-Committee:
Christiane Fanzeres of Brazil
Ayman Saad of Egypt
Jon Hestoy of Faroe Islands
FINA Bureau Liaison is Dennis Miller of Fiji
2009-2013
The 2009-2013 members include:
1. Ronnie Wong, Chairman
2. Jorge Aurelio Delgado Panchana, Vice Chairman
3. Flavio Bomio, Honorary Secretary
4. Sid Cassidy, Member [replacement for Steven Munatones of USA]
5. Khwaja Aziz, Member
6. Valerijus Belovas, Member
7. Tomas Haces German, Member
8. Samuel Greetham, Member
9. Zouheir El Moufti, Member
10. Andrea Prayer, Member
11. John West, Member
12. Noam Zwi, Member
13. Washington Beltran, Events Sub-Committee
14. Hatem Seifallah Mohamed Ibrahim, Events Sub-Committee
15. Shelley Taylor-Smith, Events Sub-Committee
16. Dennis Miller, FINA Bureau Liaison
Responsibilities
These volunteers implemented a number of new safety protocols, procedures and policies while working closely with race directors and other volunteers from around the world. Collectively, they officiate the 5K, 5K Team Time Trial, 10K, 25K and Olympic 10K Marathon Swim races at the FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup series, the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix series, the ppFINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships]], and the Olympics.
Olympic 10K Marathon Swim
As members of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee, American Sid Cassidy, Australian Chris Guesdon, and Fijian Dennis Miller literally mapped out the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim concept on a napkin in a restaurant. This revolutionary plan eventually led to the sport of open water swimming being added to the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
Cassidy gives the background during his speech at the 2011 Global Open Water Swimming Conference in New York City:
Ambassadors of the Sport
Among their responsibilities, members of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee attend competitions, meet coaches and promote the sport in various ways: speeches, clinics, publications, competitions and meetings. In June 2011, Delgado explained the role of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee, and the future of the sport at the United Nations during the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame awards ceremonies:
FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup Series
The FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup series consists of races in:
Santos (Brazil)
Cancún (Mexico)
Setúbal (Portugal)
Lac St-Jean (Canada)
Lac Mégantic (Canada)
Shantou (China)
Hong Kong
FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix Series
The FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix series consists of race in
Rosario (Argentina)
Sante Fe-Coronda (Argentina)
Viedma (Argentina)
Hernandarias-Paraná (Argentina)
Sumidero Canyon (Mexico)
Capri-Napoli (Italy)
Lac St-Jean (Canada)
Lac Memphrémagog (Canada)
Šabac (Serbia)
Ohrid Lake (Macedonia)
Jabelah (Syria – cancelled in 2011)
New World Cross Harbour Race
by Colin Hill
FINA 10K Marathon Swimming World Cup in Hong Kong
by Colin Hill
External links
- National Honors Awarded to Open Water Swimmers
- Say It Ain’t So, Ronnie Wong. Thank You Very Much
- 11 Luminaries Honored In Today's International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
- International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Virtual Ceremonies, Celebrating the Class of 2021
- Officiating At The Tokyo Olympics – The Men’s 10K Marathon Swim
- Officiating At The Tokyo Olympics – The Women’s 10K Marathon Swim
- Olympic Swimmers Will Get Up A Little Earlier In The Heat
- FINA Open Water Swimming Officials, Representing The Globe
- The Most Unique Equipment In Open Water Swimming
- Shanghai Sonar Safety System Starts
- Olympic Swimmers Will Get Up A Little Earlier In The Heat
- 2020 WOWSA Awards – World Open Water Swimming Man Of The Year Nominees
- Champions, Adventurers, Record Holders, Endurers And Supporters In The Hall Of Fame
- International Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame Class Of 2021
- When Chris Guesdon Changed The Course Of Open Water History
- Ronnie Wong Promoting The Sport On WOWSA Live
- Colin Hill Ever Enthusiastic On WOWSA Live
- 2012 Olympic Marathon Swimming 10km Coverage
- FINA Official Website
- Open Water Race Directors Do The Right Thing
- FINA Taking It To The Edge
- FINA Formally Approves 31°C Rule
- FINA To Fix Maximum Water Temperature At 31°C
- New FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee Announced
- FINA Official Website
- Open Water Swimming
- FINA Open Water Swimming Officials Schools In 2013
- Marathon Swimming
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
- I Got Stung
- PRSI Expresses Its Gratitude For Its Hall Of Fame Honour
- Siyu Yan Wins 5K At FINA World Junior Championships
- The Juniors Are Hungary To Race, Anton Evsikov Wins 7.5K
- World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation
- Open Water Swimming Epicenter Shifts To Egypt
- Honoring Contributors In The Hall Of Fame
- Ned Denison Recruits Crème De La Crème To Hall Of Fame
- FINA Should Listen To Jack Burnell And His Competitors
- He Said, He Said. Different Views Of Olympic 10K Marathon
- Ruffini Rolls To A Series Victory
- 2016 New World Cross Harbour Race
- Japan Is Right On, But What Were Others Thinking?!?
- Sid Cassidy Volunteers For Decades In The Open Water
- Great Memories Of Fran Crippen, Great Decision By USA
- Commentary on 25K FINA World Championships
- Canada, Netherlands, Japan, USA Avoid Hot Water
- Team Wins Stands Up And Gets Out To Win Honors
