Hong Kong scrumhalf Cado Lee hopes for exam results boost ahead of World Cup
Hong Kong scrumhalf hopes for timely boost as he prepares for World Cup challenge
Cado Lee Ka-to will have one eye on his computer as he gets ready for his first Rugby World Cup Sevens next weekend in Moscow. The Hong Kong scrumhalf is waiting to find out whether he comes out with flying colours having completed a bachelor's degree at Hong Kong University.
"If I do really well, I might consider carrying on for one more year and completing a post-graduate degree," said Lee on the eve of Hong Kong's departure for the quadrennial showpiece.
His results come out on Friday, the first day of the three-day competition where Hong Kong have been drawn with England, Argentina and Portugal in the preliminary round when he is expected to make his World Cup debut
"I will be checking for my results online and I'm hoping I get good grades because then it will be easier to make my decision on whether I should carry on with my studies, or instead take a break and become a full-time athlete," Lee said.
Lee took a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise and health. He had said previously that he would seriously consider becoming a full-time athlete at the Hong Kong Sports Institute, which in April admitted rugby sevens to its fold.
"I haven't made up my mind what to do. I will wait until after this weekend to decide my immediate future," said the Kowloon scrumhalf, who this season represented the city in the Asian Sevens Series, in which Hong Kong were crowned champions, and also played in the Hong Kong Sevens and London Sevens.
Lee is one of eight players in the 12-strong squad who will be playing at a World Cup for the first time - the others are Kwok Ka-chun, Eni Gesinde, Nick Hewson, Lee Jones, Ben Rimene, Jamie Hood and Salom Yiu Kam-shing.
Only skipper Rowan Varty, Anthony Haynes and the McQueen brothers, Alex and Tom, have played before.
The goal at the 24-team tournament is to finish as the top Asian side, a result which would secure the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union an invitation from the International Rugby Board for the Under-18 national squad to appear at next year's Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, where rugby sevens is a medal sport for the first time.
