Cover Hong Kong Paralympic swimmer Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong/Issac Lam)
Hong Kong Paralympic swimmer Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong/Issac Lam)
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Swimmer Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan became the youngest Hong Kong Paralympic medallist when she won bronze in Paris at the age of only 14—here’s how she went against all odds to reach her goal
It didn’t take long for Paralympic swimmer Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan to warm up at her photo shoot with Tatler in mid-October 2024. The 14-year-old, who constantly wore a big smile on her face, tried different poses for her cover shot: front on, hands on hips; or cheekily over her shoulder. “Jasmine says she wants to be a mermaid,” Ng’s friend and Paralympic badminton player Daniel Chan Ho-yuen, who was also at the studio for the December cover shoot, tells the photo team—to which Ng responded with a shy giggle that couldn’t conceal her excitement.
But when it’s time to be serious, the effervescent teenager brings her A-game, and doesn’t let anything, not even hypochondroplasia, the genetic defect that results in her short stature and limbs, stop her from realising her goals.
In case you missed it: Beyond Olympics: Meet Ryan Leung, the only Hong Kong swimmer to cross the North Channel
Above Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan wears a Southcape outfit from Lane Crawford (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong/Issac Lam)
Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan wears a Southcape outfit from Lane Crawford (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong/Issac Lam)
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In September, Ng clinched her first Paralympic medal, a bronze, in the women’s 100m breaststroke at the Paris Games, making her the city’s youngest Paralympic medallist.
She competed in the SB6 category, which is for swimmers with short stature, absence of limbs or co-ordination moderately affected on one side, or the lower trunk. These swimmers must expend more effort and energy to maintain balance or gain speed. “I need to paddle the water twice as often and double the speed of my movements to be on par with abled-bodied swimmers,” Ng says.
Above Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan wears a Zara out (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong/Issac Lam)
Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan wears a Zara out (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong/Issac Lam)
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Her parents started her in swimming lessons at the tender age of three. “At first, it was so physically demanding that I asked my family if I could just give up,” she recalls. “But they wanted to make sure I exercised for my health, and gave me a lot of encouragement. Gradually, I found it fun to challenge myself and how fast I could go. Now, I love focusing on my speed.”
Ng also tried badminton and, for a few years, dabbled in ballet. But she felt her limbs weren’t strong enough for the former and didn’t have time for the latter when she had to juggle her studies and swimming training, especially after her life took a major turn in 2018. The principal at Sham Tseng Catholic Primary School signed her up for Hong Kong Paralympic Day, a local event organised by the Sports Association for the Physically Disabled of Hong Kong, China. Ng met her current coach Kong Chun Yin, who recruited her to the Hong Kong team a year later.
Above Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan wears her own swimming cap (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong/Issac Lam)
Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan wears her own swimming cap (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong/Issac Lam)
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Since then, Ng has been training three hours a day, six days a week, even during school holidays. And while that may sound like a lot on top of her regular teen life—“Sometimes it means I can’t finish my homework on time, so I have to ask my teachers for an extension,” she says—Ng is relishing every moment. Talking about the support she received for her appearance at the Paris Games, she says, “I was so happy. I never thought there would be so many supporters. I told myself not to be too stressed by the competition or result, and just do my best.”
Her record-breaking best proved that her attitude was exactly what was needed. “I achieved my goal and I’m so happy to show what I could do to others despite my condition,” she says.
Read more: From mixing in gymnastics to adapting to the pandemic, how Hong Kong rope skipper became a champion
Above Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan wears a Southcape outfit (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong/Issac Lam)
Jasmine Ng Cheuk Yan wears a Southcape outfit (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong/Issac Lam)
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And this is only the start of her journey as a competitive swimmer. Since returning from a well-deserved break exploring the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe with her head coach—it was her first time in Paris—she’s been back in Hong Kong training for the World Championship in September 2025 and the National Games of the People’s Republic of China in November 2025. “This time, I’ll focus on improving my techniques of diving into the water,” she says, her eyes glinting with the promise of her bright future.
Credits
Creative Direction Zoe Yau
Photography Issac Lam
Fashion Direction Cherry Mui
Photography Issac Lam
Creative Direction Zoe Yau
Hair Kit Li
Make-Up Jovy Chai
Set Design Ip Siu
Photographer’s Assistant Hsiao, Jason Li and Riki Chan
Stylist’s Assistant Alix Lefebvre
Set Design (assistant) Naomi Chiu
Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
