When Lee Lai-shan turned 50 last month, the birthday celebrations for Hong Kong’s first and only Olympic gold medallist were very different from when she returned in triumph from the Atlanta Games in 1996. “I had enough of all that sort of razzmatazz to last me a lifetime, although of course it was a great honour,” says the retired windsurfer, who prefers to play badminton these days. “We just celebrated my 50th at our home in North Point. My husband and daughters had hidden my presents around the flat, so we started with a treasure hunt. The girls had written a very moving account of their lives for me, and they cooked dinner. It was the perfect birthday.” In the years since becoming Hong Kong’s “Golden Girl”, Lee – known as San San – has devoted a lot more time to her family. However, she remains a passionate advocate of sport and its role in Hong Kong society, especially during the run-up to next year’s Olympics in Tokyo. “Sport is not just good for your health, it can shape the way you manage your whole life,” Lee says. “I’d say that’s the most important message for everyone in Hong Kong right now, particularly as we are tackling the coronavirus.” Lee’s first exposure to the public glare was at the age of seven when she was chosen as one of the live mannequins who, supported by a concealed steel truss, appeared to float above the Piu Sik street parade that is one of the hallmarks of the annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival . Tokyo Olympics to axe flashy ceremonies as organisers cut costs “I was picked three years in a row,” says Lee, who was born on Cheung Chau. “It’s quite funny, because when I came back from Atlanta and there were people lining the streets to get a look at me, my mind went straight back to the bun festival when I was a kid.” Lee’s uncle Lai Kam ran a windsurfing school on Kwun Yam Beach on Cheung Chau, and started teaching her when she was 12. She was competing seriously by the time she was 17, and joined the Hong Kong team two years later. After coming 11th in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, she set her sights on Atlanta. By this stage Lee had met a fellow windsurfer – Sam Wong Tak-sum – who was also part of Hong Kong’s Olympic squad. “The first time I met Sam he’d sailed out to Cheung Chau, and he struck me as a very tough, confident sort of man,” Lee says with a grin. “In fact, you could say he became my idol. We started training together, and then one thing led to another. He’s had a very successful career, but his first priority as my husband has always been to give me support and guidance.” Upon her return to Hong Kong from Atlanta, Lee was given a hero’s welcome. Feelings were running high in the year before Hong Kong’s return to China, and her gold medal was a cause for optimism. For weeks she was praised and greeted by politicians and celebrities. “Being so well-known was a bit of a trial at the very beginning,” says Lee, who admits that at one stage she almost regretted winning. “Sam and I were used to being just ordinary people. Getting too much attention, being asked to pose for pictures and sign autographs all the time made me feel uneasy. We had to hide at a friend’s place for a few days after the homecoming ceremony. But as time went by, we got used to it. I suppose it was just a matter of adjusting ourselves. “All sorts of fantastic rumours were flying about. It was said that Cathay Pacific had promised me free flights for the next five years, and that I didn’t have to pay for the MTR or ferries. That sort of crazy stuff. But that’s all they were: rumours. I don’t know where they came from.” After Atlanta, Lee and Wong took a sports management course at the University of Canberra, the first time either of them had lived outside Hong Kong for any length of time. “We had spent extended periods abroad training, but being based in Australia full time was very different. We had to adjust to fit in, but it certainly made us become more outgoing,” she says. Lee continued to compete in international windsurfing events – twice taking first place at the Asian Games, and placing a disappointing sixth at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 – while garnering a slew of awards and an honorary doctorate from Chinese University of Hong Kong. Since her final Olympic appearance – Athens in 2004 – Lee’s preoccupation has been her two daughters, Haylie and Kallie, who are now in their teens. Sport is not just good for your health, it can shape the way you manage your whole life. I’d say that’s the most important message for everyone in Hong Kong right now, particularly as we are tackling the coronavirus Lee Lai-shan “Neither of them is headed for the Olympics just yet, but Kallie is quite sporty. She loves track and field, and plays rugby. Haylie is more of a reader. As a family, we sometimes go camping and canoeing together, to give the girls the opportunity to learn about survival as well as have some fun.” Lee worked for ATV as a presenter and commentator during the Beijing Olympics in 2008, but says that – apart from being glued to her television – she will have no role at the Tokyo Olympics next year. Hong Kong’s total medal tally remains stuck at a modest three, with one silver and one bronze backing up Lee’s gold. “As Hong Kong athletes achieve better results, sport is drawing more of the attention it deserves,” she says. “Devoting more resources to sports development would be more than welcome, and of course the amount people exercise and what they eat are closely related.” Hongkongers have become more health conscious over the past decade, choosing vegetarian food or trying to avoid trans fats and genetically modified food. “We need more information about the importance of sticking to a healthy diet and how to achieve a good balance for children’s growth,” she says. Lee is still very much the poster girl for Hong Kong sports – enthusiastic, humble and sincere. “I learned so much from taking part in sport,” she says. “Apart from being good for your health – which is especially important nowadays – it has other benefits. Before I started competing seriously I was far too laid-back, and when I did something I’d make no more than a 70 per cent effort. But sport helped me change my attitude, so I’d devote myself wholeheartedly to projects, and do so much better as a result. “Our Hong Kong athletes who will be going to Tokyo next year face some tough challenges. The games were postponed this year, so having built up and trained for so long, they had to put things on hold. You have to be focused and prepared, both mentally and physically. I really hope Hong Kong can increase its medal count.” While Lee’s husband has been left slightly out of the limelight, she is swift to point out that he has been the driving force behind much of her success. “I am so lucky to have been influenced by Sam,” she says. “He is always easy-going and upbeat. After taking part in a positive coaching programme, he started practising positive coaching in life as well. Thanks to his influence, I’ve become more positive thinking as well. “Life is not easy for anyone in the current pandemic and everyone is struggling. At such times, we all need to be more positive in life.”