Fostering a field of dreams in a seemingly barren land

As we usher in the new year, Hong Kong sports face hard questions. Who will we turn to once Lee Lai-shan retires? What happens when the Salem Open moves to Beijing? When will Hong Kong make another bid to host the Asian Games? Where should local associations look for funds and a cohesive sports policy? Why cannot sport be the focus of the SAR's much-hoped for renaissance?

First up, who can replace San San as a role model? Hong Kong's windsurfing heroine is virtually irreplaceable when it comes to imagery and branding of sport as a positive product in Hong Kong. No single athlete has had such influence on the development of local sport over the past decade, from being a part-time recreation into viable full-time professional career, than San San.

But San San, 32, who emerged from the backwaters of Cheung Chau to beat the world at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and win Hong Kong its first Olympic medal (and that a gold), is now on the verge of winding up an illustrious career.

She ended last year worrying over a mysterious stomach ailment that forced her to retire from two international races in two months. The problem first occurred at the Asian Games in Pusan in October. After securing gold by winning six of her first eight races, San San had to pull out of the last two races, complaining of stomach cramps. She was rushed to hospital in South Korea before being flown back to Hong Kong, where it was diagnosed that she had an inflammation of the bile duct in her gall bladder.

A few weeks later, San San was struck down by a similar pain and had to pull out of the Siam Cup in Pattaya, a prelude to the World Championships. She had hoped to defend her world title and also win Hong Kong a berth at next year's Athens Olympics. But once again her plans were disrupted.

In the past 12 years, San San has won an Olympic Gold, two Asian Games gold medals, three World Championship titles and a host of other medals and titles that have turned her easily into Hong Kong's most successful athlete.