Ad Category Above Title [D:1440×400 M:1440×400]

gafencu Shop

gafencu  app

Ad Category Sidebar [D:300×300 M:300×300]

Ad Video Category Above Title

<div style="width: 640px;" class="wp-video">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-59998-1" width="640" height="360" autoplay="1" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://www.igafencu.com/video/web/Roca_Unveils_Roca.mp4?_=1" /><a href="https://www.igafencu.com/video/web/Roca_Unveils_Roca.mp4">https://www.igafencu.com/video/web/Roca_Unveils_Roca.mp4</a></video></div>
 
Over a century ago, a small company began manufacturing cast iron radiators in Gavà, Barcelona. Since those long-ago days, that same entity – Roca – has become a global leader in the luxury bathroom fittings sector, with a far-flung footprint ranging from South America and Europe to Asia. In spite of its global presence, though, it remains 100-percent Spanish at heart. It’s this sense of national pride that has seen Roca become the regional sponsor of the Spanish national men’s football team – also dubbed by fans as “La Furia Roja”.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-60003" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-National-Football-Team-campaign-bus.jpg" alt="Roca Spanish National Football Team campaign bus" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-National-Football-Team-campaign-bus.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-National-Football-Team-campaign-bus-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-National-Football-Team-campaign-bus-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-National-Football-Team-campaign-bus-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-National-Football-Team-campaign-bus-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-National-Football-Team-campaign-bus-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-National-Football-Team-campaign-bus-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Speaking of this sponsorship, Rubén Rivera, Director of Marketing for the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) says, “The collaboration between RFEF and Roca represents the innovation and passion of the Spanish culture and sports. Roca shares the same professional and pioneering spirit of the Spanish National Football Team, and we are excited to collaborate with Roca, and look forward to working together for years to come.”
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-60006" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-campaign-bus-for-Spanish-National-Football-Team.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-campaign-bus-for-Spanish-National-Football-Team.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-campaign-bus-for-Spanish-National-Football-Team-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-campaign-bus-for-Spanish-National-Football-Team-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-campaign-bus-for-Spanish-National-Football-Team-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-campaign-bus-for-Spanish-National-Football-Team-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-campaign-bus-for-Spanish-National-Football-Team-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-campaign-bus-for-Spanish-National-Football-Team-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
With La Furia Roja snagging a much-coveted silver medal at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympic Games, Roca cheered them on and celebrated their amazing performance through an array of attractively decorated double-decker campaign buses – all burnished in the team’s signature red hue –&nbsp; right here in Hong Kong. Keep your eyes peeled for these attention-grabbers, which are proudly emblazoned with the team logo and its star players, in addition to visuals of some of the hero products currently available from the Spanish bathroom furnishings brand.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-60002" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Ohtake-washbasin.jpg" alt="Roca Ohtake washbasin" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Ohtake-washbasin.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Ohtake-washbasin-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Ohtake-washbasin-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Ohtake-washbasin-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Ohtake-washbasin-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Ohtake-washbasin-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Ohtake-washbasin-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
In addition to supporting the national team, Roca also focuses on product design achievement and the wellbeing on the customers.&nbsp; Among the many cutting-edge products coming soon to its RocaConcepts flagship store in Wanchai, a highlight is the Ohtake washbasin. Crafted by renowned Brazilian architect Ruy Ohtake, its beautiful egg-shaped form is inspired by Mother Nature herself, with its gentle curves encapsulating oceanic waves and the ever-changing line of the horizon. Recognising its many inherent merits, the Ohtake washbasin was even awarded the highest honour (‘Best of the best’) at the 2019 Red Dot Design Awards. Available in white, brown or black, this prize-winning minimalist creation is sure to bequeath any bathroom with a subtle elegance.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-60001" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-colour-PVD-faucets.jpg" alt="Roca colour PVD faucets" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-colour-PVD-faucets.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-colour-PVD-faucets-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-colour-PVD-faucets-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-colour-PVD-faucets-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-colour-PVD-faucets-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-colour-PVD-faucets-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-colour-PVD-faucets-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Another star turn in Roca’s catalogue is its collection of colour PVD faucets. Available in a variety of shapes in the buyer’s choice of a matte or shiny finish, there is an arresting array of cool hues to choose from, though the brushed titanium black version is to be particularly recommended. Each is triple-plated with layers of brass, chrome and nickel, an innovative combination that means these faucets aren’t just highly resistant to corrosion and limescale content in the water, they are scratch-proof as well. As with all Roca products, the taps embody smart living and beautiful functionality with perfect aplomb.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-60007" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-bathroom-fittings-brand.jpg" alt="Roca, Spanish bathroom fittings brand" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-bathroom-fittings-brand.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-bathroom-fittings-brand-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-bathroom-fittings-brand-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-bathroom-fittings-brand-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-bathroom-fittings-brand-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-bathroom-fittings-brand-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-Spanish-bathroom-fittings-brand-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
To stay up-to-date on the latest Roca happenings, scan the following QR code and follow the RocaConcepts Facebook page: 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-60000 alignleft" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-280x280.png" alt="Roca QR code" width="152" height="152" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-280x280.png 280w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-200x200.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-100x100.png 100w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-800x800.png 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-768x768.png 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-1024x1024.png 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-120x120.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-500x500.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-66x66.png 66w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-400x400.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-600x600.png 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Roca-QR-code-1200x1200.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 152px) 100vw, 152px" />
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
RocaConcepts. 1/F, The Hennessy, 256 Hennessy Road, Wanchai. (852) 2510 2677. <a href="http://www.roca.hk">www.roca.hk</a>

Roca sponsors Spanish National Football Team

Spotlight on Spain: Roca backs Spanish national men’s football squad

<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15618" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7715-1.jpg" alt="A-7715" width="900" height="582" />
Team Hong Kong swimmer Stephanie Au has competed for her home city in three Olympic Games since 2008. She was also Hong Kong’s flag bearer at the 2016 Rio games.
When did you first discover your passion for swimming? 
I started swimming training at nine, but I’d say my passion really developed in college because my coach introduced a whole new angle of swimming to us. We added on new exercises like dry land training, Pilates, balancing work, high-intensity workouts and runs. We also had things like mindset coaching and we’d read up on the sport. It was a very rounded way of developing. My coach always said that we were trying to build and empower young women; he didn’t want us to just focus on the swimming itself.

<h5 style="text-align: center;"><a style="color: #ad0707;" href="//www.gafencushop.com/stephanie-au2/">Click here to watch the video</a></h5>

To what do you attribute your athletic success? Is dedication and training key, or is it more about natural talent? 
I think natural talent to a degree. When you start training, it’s more about basic talent and your skill set, although you do need dedication to get yourself into the pool every day. Once you get older and you become more professional, it does become more about the passion. If you don’t get that feeling of passion when you’re competing at a higher level, it becomes much harder. Every time you try to beat that 0.01 second it’s much more difficult, so you need to give yourself that little nudge.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-15619" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7607-e1485917466380.jpg" alt="A-7607" width="580" height="671" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7607-e1485917466380.jpg 666w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7607-e1485917466380-200x231.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7607-e1485917466380-242x280.jpg 242w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7607-e1485917466380-400x462.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7607-e1485917466380-600x693.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px" /> 
What keeps you motivated in training? What do you enjoy most about swimming? 
I enjoy the quietness of swimming and the solitude in the pool. I also like how it gets you sweating, even though you don’t feel like you are at all! The focus on breathing and moving makes you feel alive. Also, once you’ve been in the competition pool, the competitiveness is thrilling. The swimming world contains a wide spectrum of different feelings.
What made you decide to study at the University of California, Berkeley? 
Some of the older girls – my swimming peers – who I’d worked with studied there; two of them went to Berkeley. I saw both of them excelling, both in academics and in athletics, so I decided I wanted to follow in their path. Realistically, I knew I could only do all three – study, train and be able to balance the work at such a high level – in the States.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15620" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7548-e1485917541660.jpg" alt="A-7548" width="614" height="814" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7548-e1485917541660.jpg 614w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7548-e1485917541660-200x265.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7548-e1485917541660-211x280.jpg 211w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7548-e1485917541660-400x530.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7548-e1485917541660-600x795.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 614px) 100vw, 614px" /> 
“We made history. I felt very honoured and proud to be on that team. Walking into the marshalling area with my teammates and feeling relaxed and smiling through the entire race was a precious moment.”
You studied Environmental Economics. What was that like, and is it something that still interests you? 
Yes, it is. I picked that over other subjects because, unlike most student athletes who study subjects related to sports in some way, I wanted to keep my mind off swimming. I wanted to use my study as a break away from training. But another reason I picked Environmental Economics is because we don’t really get to study it in Hong Kong. In the States there is so much high-calibre research on the subject.
You were awarded an Outstanding Student accolade. How did you juggle school work and training? Was it stressful? 
It was stressful, but mainly it was about prioritising and time management. Once you get that down, it’s okay. It’s easier said than done but you really need to stick to your routine. It’s relatively challenging for a secondary school-aged child, but once you can manage that, you are halfway there.
What was it like in the Olympic Villages? Did you meet and spend time with fellow athletes? 
To be honest everyone is just completely focused on the competition and concentrating on their own event. Nobody wants to bother other people too much because it’s a very important game for everyone. So we do the socialising after it’s all finished.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15621" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7855.jpg" alt="A-7855" width="600" height="900" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7855.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7855-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7855-187x280.jpg 187w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7855-400x600.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
What did it mean for you to be chosen as Hong Kong’s flag bearer? 
It was a total honour, I was so happy. I never expected to be chosen, especially at the Olympic Games. I’d always wanted to be a flag bearer. It was my third time as an Olympian, and the Olympic Committee stated they’d chosen me over the others because of the extra work I’d been doing within the sporting community and the contributions I’d made towards sports development.
Of the three games you participated in, did you have a particular favourite? 
All three were very different, but I would say that the 2016 Rio Olympics were by far the best. Although I tried to go in with my individual 100-metre backstroke event and failed to qualify, I also helped the relay team get into the top 16 in the world. Just the fact that we made it to the Olympics – and it was the first time for a Hong Kong swimming relay team to be there – was so special. We made history. I felt very honoured and proud to be on that team. Walking into the marshalling area with my teammates and feeling relaxed and smiling through the entire race was a precious moment.
Apart from that, are there any particular memories or defining moments that stand out? 
At the World University Games, which were held two years ago, I was competing in the 50-metre backstroke and I barely made it into the finals. During the race, most of my friends – who had been competing with me since we were 12 – were in the stands cheering for me. Once I touched the wall, I heard them screaming like crazy. I didn’t win – I got silver – but they were so happy for me, and they were cheering so loudly that I knew I had made the top three. I’d qualified as seventh into the finals, but then I ended up finishing second; I’ll always remember that moment. It’s not about the time or the medals – it’s my teammates that matter.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15622" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7949.jpg" alt="A-7949" width="648" height="900" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7949.jpg 648w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7949-200x278.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7949-202x280.jpg 202w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7949-400x556.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-7949-600x833.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 648px) 100vw, 648px" />
If you could give a young athlete one piece of advice, what would it be? 
I’d say you really need to find your passion and do something you love. You need to make sure you put your heart into it. You can’t just do it for a couple of months, and of course there will be challenges ahead, but if you really love it, you will find a way to make it work.
Where would you like to see yourself in 10 years’ time? 
I feel like 10 years is quite a long time, because things could really change in 10 years! I know that in 10 years, I won’t be swimming professionally anymore. Hopefully I will find a sustainable new path and career. I want to give something back, perhaps by working in sporting development or training. Everything I have right now is thanks to swimming, and the sporting system that helps nurture athletes. So now I want to continue that cycle.
What do you do in your free time to relax? Is it difficult to unwind after a day of training? 
I like just sitting still and listening to music. In some ways, it’s similar to swimming because once I put in my earphones it’s my own quiet world again. I can talk to myself and analyse my performance if I need to, all in my own small zone. And of course, I can get ready for the next practice.
Thank you.
Written by Siobhan Brewood-Wyatt

Hong Kong Olympian Stephanie Au on passion, natural talent and making history

<div style="width: 640px;" class="wp-video"><video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-12861-2" width="640" height="360" autoplay="1" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="http://www.igafencu.com/video/1612/1612_GMHK_Interview_Kenneth.mp4?_=2" /><a href="http://www.igafencu.com/video/1612/1612_GMHK_Interview_Kenneth.mp4">http://www.igafencu.com/video/1612/1612_GMHK_Interview_Kenneth.mp4</a></video></div>

Kenneth Fok

<div style="width: 640px;" class="wp-video"><video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-12680-3" width="640" height="360" autoplay="1" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="http://www.igafencu.com/video/1611/Oct28_HK1252_Anthony_Ervin.mp4?_=3" /><a href="http://www.igafencu.com/video/1611/Oct28_HK1252_Anthony_Ervin.mp4">http://www.igafencu.com/video/1611/Oct28_HK1252_Anthony_Ervin.mp4</a></video></div>

American swimmer Anthony Ervin’s journey from winning a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics to waiting 16 years for his next gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics is anything but typical.
Ervin, who has two gold medals in 50m freestyle, quit the sport in 2004 after his success at the Sydney Olympics. 
For years he lived a life about as far removed from that of an Olympic athlete as you can get: he dabbled in drugs, joined a rock band, battled with depression and considered suicide. 
He even sold his gold medal from the Sydney Olympics to raise funds for the Indian tsunami in 2004.
Ervin’s love for swimming was rekindled when he started teaching kids how to swim in New York. He returned to the pool in 2011, managing to finish fifth in the 50m freestyle Olympic final in London in 2012.
At the Rio Olympics earlier this year, Ervin became the oldest swimmer to win an individual event at any Olympics when he won gold in the 50m freestyle at the spritely age of 35.
Watch Ervin’s exclusive interview with Gafencu about his Olympic experiences and why he decided to walk away and then return to swimming, in the video above.

Tag: olympics

Spotlight on Spain: Roca backs Spanish national men’s football squad

Hong Kong Olympian Stephanie Au on passion, natural talent and making history

Kenneth Fok

American swimmer Anthony Ervin talks about his journey to Olympic gold

Tag: olympics

Blog Section

Spotlight on Spain: Roca backs Spanish national men’s football squad

Hong Kong Olympian Stephanie Au on passion, natural talent and making history

Kenneth Fok

American swimmer Anthony Ervin talks about his journey to Olympic gold