Out of the blue

The next few weeks will be the most important period in the young life of swimmer Stephanie Au Hoi-shun. She must make a decision that could have a huge impact on her future - either stay in school, or take a break to pursue an unlikely dream of competing in next summer's Beijing Olympics.

Au, 15, attends the Sacred Heart Canossian College in Pokfulam. A fortnight ago, the school assembly heard a proud principal reveal that one of their students might be absent from her studies as she would be in training for the Olympics.

'I have still not made up my mind. I will wait to see how I perform at a meet in November before deciding whether to give up school so that I can concentrate full-time on training for the Beijing Olympics,' said Au.

Everything changed for Au in a period of three days from August 31 to September 2, when she set two local records and also qualified within the Olympic B-standard in three events at the Hong Kong Open Championships.

Spectators at the Kowloon Indoor Park went wild as Au smashed records in the women's 400 metres freestyle (four minutes and 19.18 seconds) and 800 metres freestyle (8:50.21), and also came under the Olympic standard for the lesser swimming nations in the 200 metres free (2:03.45).

'They were screaming for me. I could hear them urging me on. It was just wonderful to not only break the records, but also to find out that I now have a chance of taking part in the Olympics in three events,' Au said.