The lunchtime crowd at City Plaza yesterday was treated to a mock race between Hong Kong's Winter Olympics hopefuls Han Yueshuang and Peony Chan Suet-ying. It was an exhibition on ice. But away from the rinks, the two speedskaters are locked in a battle - not of their own doing - to represent the SAR at the Turin Games next February.
It stems from the uncertainty surrounding Han, a former mainlander, who is qualified to take part in the Winter Olympics but lacks an SAR passport. As a result, the Hong Kong Skating Union has put the homegrown Chan on standby until the International Olympic Committee makes its decision on a request for dispensation for Han.
'We have still not heard from the IOC. But whatever happens, Hong Kong will be represented at the Winter Olympics as we have got a quota of one,' said Pang Chung, Hong Kong Olympic Committee secretary general, yesterday. Pang revealed that this token representation will not be cheap. The cost of sending one athlete - she will take part in the short-track events of 500, 1,000 and 1,500 metres - a coach and a manager to Turin will amount to almost $500,000. It will be mostly borne by the Home Affairs Bureau.
'I have dreamed of taking part in the Olympics ever since I was seven years old when I started skating. I just feel so nervous and frustrated at all this uncertainty. But I'm tying to put that behind me and just carry on training,' said Han.
The 1.75m native of Jilin province, who arrived in Hong Kong in 2002, trains for more than seven hours a day, including two hours of road running, gym work and on ice. For the latter, however, she has to wait until late at night, when the rink at Festival Walk closes for the public, to begin her practice.
'Hong Kong does not have much ice skating facilities. But I would be really proud to represent Hong Kong at the Olympics and my aim is to win a medal,' says Han.
