Acrobatic policeman Yu balances gold with silver

The elevator music was an unfitting complement to the concentration required to execute the manoeuvres on the bicycle.

The music used for Hong Kong's Samuel Yu Sum-yee's silver medal-winning artistic cycling routine was airy and serene, making it difficult to imagine how an event with so much precision and energy could be accompanied by something so dull.

Yu, who earlier yesterday morning also won an Asian Indoor Games gold medal in the pairs artistic cycling along with partner Lo Ting-hin, took a big breath and then began his solo routine with a simple handlebar movement.

He quickly progressed into a series of pirouettes that elicited applause from the audience. As Yu, 22, made his way through his almost six-minute routine, he moved his body from one side to the other, performed clockwise pirouettes before switching directions and hoisting himself in a position to pedal with one foot.

From the steely look in his eyes, it was obvious that Yu, a policeman from Sheung Shui, was absorbed in his routine. He remained mostly silent, stuck out his tongue once and, as his routine neared its end, he let out one loud cry as if to illustrate that beauty did not come easily.

There were many moments worthy of applause and when Yu merely stood atop the seat of the bicycle, balancing himself by spreading his arms out wide, the audience decided to refrain. They quickly broke their silence when he hopped from the saddle and placed a foot on each of the handlebars.