Injured Hayley Chan in race against time
The Hong Kong Windsurfing Association is confdent Hayley Chan Hei-man will be fit in time for the Olympics as she struggles to recover from three broken ribs.
Chan, 21, (pictured) who sacrificed a year's study at the University of Hong Kong to train for the chance to compete in London, suffered a training accident in England earlier this month.
She was discharged from hospital two weeks ago and officials believe she could recover in time for the Olympics event, which runs from July 31 to August 5 at the sailing venue in Weymouth, Dorset, on the south coast of England.
'Everything looks quite positive about her recovery and we have submitted her name to the Hong Kong Olympic Committee for the London Games along with men's windsurfer Andy Leung Ho-chun,' association executive director Dennis Chau Wai-keung said.
'She is still in recovery and we feel she can get back to training quite soon. Of course, we still need a medical certificate to prove she has fully recovered and is able to compete.'
If Chan does not recover in time, the association cannot send a women's representative to London as the other top prospect, Vicky Chan Wai-kei, confirmed yesterday that she was three months pregnant.
In March, Vicky Chan, 31, lost the internal selection decision to the younger Hayley after three rounds of competition.
'I have reached a certain age that I need to think about having kids,' Vicky Chan said. 'I am happy to become a mother but it doesn't mean I will quit the sport.
'I have plans to race for a place at the Incheon Asian Games in 2014 and I don't think being a mother will affect my sporting career. In fact, there are at least four mothers who will compete in the Olympic Games in London.'
Vicky Chan stopped training on the water after discovering she was carrying twins, and her husband, retired windsurfer Ho Chi-ho and now an assistant coach at the Sports Institute, said he expected to be working twice as hard as they are expecting the babies in January.
