Lee Lai-shan will defend her title at the Olympic Games in Sydney next year.
The Olympic champion made her long-awaited announcement on her return to Hong Kong yesterday.
Accompanied by husband Sam Wong Tak-sum, the cheerful Cheung Chau-born star, who came a disappointing 15th in the World Championship in New Caledonia last week, said: 'Even though the opposition in Sydney will be extremely strong and the road ahead is very tough for me, I have decided to accept the challenge.' Her decision ended 11 months of speculation. San San took time off after winning the Asian Games gold medal in Thailand last year to concentrate on her sports degree in Australia.
She graduated just before heading for the World Championships, where she failed to live up to her pedigree because of a lack of preparation.
San San revealed that she had actually made up her mind to compete in Sydney in September, when she finished fifth in the Pre-Olympic Regatta.
'That result gave me the motivation to go for the Olympics,' she said. And her performance in New Caledonia further bolstered her determination.