2 minutes with ... STEVEN WONG

The BMX cyclist earned Hong Kong's first gold medal at the 10th National Games in Nanjing on Tuesday. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Belgium, the 17-year-old showed his skill on the course with jumps, bumps and turns. He won by a big margin in all the five races from the heats to the final. He will become a full-time athlete after finishing one more year of studying in Europe.

What do you think about your performance in the National Games?

I think I did really well in the preliminaries. In the final, I was lucky to win the gold because I did not have a good start. I was quite nervous and the bike bumped on the gate at the start, so I failed to take the lead at the beginning of the race. But fortunately it turned out to be good.

When did you start BMX racing?

BMX is a popular sport in Europe. I started training at the age of 13 when I was in Belgium, but only started racing in 2001. When I came back to Hong Kong on vacation two years ago, I entered a BMX race where I was spotted by the Hong Kong cycling team. Knowing there are limited opportunities in Europe, I joined the team and since then I have belonged to the Hong Kong squad.

What's your next target?

I'll soon prepare for the 2008 Beijing Olympics - which will include BMX racing as a new event. Winning a gold medal in the Olympic Games would be great, but right now I still need to practice more. I'm young and there is still a lot I have to learn.