Where did you go to school? I went to Chinese Methodist Primary School then Ho Tung Technical School for Girls in Causeway Bay.

Did you like school? Yes, I enjoyed it very much. I was very interested in school work, especially music, art and mathematics. I represented the school in swimming, track and field, volleyball and basketball. They would ask me to do everything, because there were not many students of the athletic type. I left school after Form Five.

When did you start playing badminton and why? I had two older brothers who would play the game on the public housing estate. I was always hanging around and watching and just followed them. I won a national championship at age 12.

Did sport interfere with studies and homework? I had a lot of support and help from my teachers, schoolmates and family. But I thought school was very important. I had a responsibility to make sure I did both. It's all about commitment and time management.

What did you do after school? I went to the Northcote College of Education in Hong Kong to become a sports teacher because I liked sport very much. I did a diploma in education and after three years I returned to Ho Tung to teach physical education.

What about your badminton? I had won world championships on the mainland and in Hong Kong. But I was in a dilemma about my sport and career because I wanted to become a badminton professional. After long discussions with my coach I quit my job and decided to concentrate on playing. As an athlete, you can only compete while you are young, so I set a target of four to six years in order to excel and started my professional career in badminton in 1986.

Were you glad you did a teaching course? Yes, because then I didn't have to worry about my future. You have to equip yourself and prepare to have full commitment to sport.

What was the highlight of your sporting days? During my 15 years as a competitive athlete my highlight was in 1990 when I won a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games in New Zealand. That was my goal. I won the medal in the mixed doubles and a bronze medal in a team event. I retired from professional sport after that. The next year I was awarded the British Empire Medal.

Did you have any intention to go back to study? Yes, my other dream was to finish a degree and to have a college life, so I went to Springfield College, Massachusetts, which has a famous physical education school. I studied physical education to complete a degree.

Are you studying now? I have been working with the Hong Kong Sports Institute for 10 years and was just awarded a scholarship to study an MBA with Henley Management College. This will allow me to focus more on business, which is what sport needs. I need to upgrade myself because it's now all about professionalism in sports management.