New bodysuits help SAR's speed queens look the part

New experience, new outfits. Hong Kong's first-ever Winter Olympians might not be the fastest, but they will certainly be the smartest when they take part in the short-track speedskating at the Salt Lake City Games next week.

Qualifying for the Olympics has meant a funding boost for Cordia Tsoi Po-yee, 17, Christy Ren, 18, and Fiona Fong, 15 - meaning they can at last afford new bodysuits instead of making do with the ones they have been wearing for four years.

'Each of us have a new set of outfits made by [Hong Kong sportwear company] Super-X,' said Tsoi. 'The old ones have been used for four years and there are even holes in them. I'm very happy that we can wear new outfits at the Games. It's a bit short for me - but it's OK!.'

Ren added: 'I like the suit very much because it's quite sharp and the colour is just the same as that of the SAR's emblem. I'm proud to wear it to represent Hong Kong.'

Speedskating is not an elite sport in Hong Kong and its athletes do not receive much government support. But after the Games qualifying competition last October the Government, via the Sports Development Board, handed out $200,000 in training funds, which allowed the squad to purchase new outfits and embark on a training programme in the mainland for the past two months.

Tsoi said: 'We had to buy our own gear and outfits in the past because we didn't have any sponsors. I think we've now got government support and received numerous sponsors because we qualified and we're the first Hong Kong athletes to compete at the Winter Olympics. We're delighted that the Government finally did something for us and some sponsors came to us, although we still have to use our old boots and blades.'