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Sarah Lee won two individual gold medals at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, but the hard work starts again on the road to the Rio Olympics in 2016. Photos: Nora Tam

Golden girl Sarah Lee told to forget past success in Olympic build-up

Golden girl Sarah Lee Wai-sze has been told to forget her Asian Games glory and the honours she has collected over the past two years as she kicks off a new Olympic cycle next week.

The World Cup Classic in Guadalajara, Mexico, from November 7 to 9, will start the Olympic qualification for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and Lee, a bronze medallist at the 2012 London Games, remains Hong Kong's leading medal hope.

"She must start the new cycle with nothing in her mind, not Asian Games gold medals, nor her London achievement," said coach Shen Jinkang.

She needs to put aside her past glories so she can be hungry for success, just like in 2010 when she battled from nowhere to become a medallist in London two years later
Coach Shen Jinkang

"If she still embraces her past success in her everyday training, she will never succeed at the 2016 Games.

"It is not only a physical game that Lee has to prepare for with the Olympics, but also a mental game. She needs to put aside her past glories so she can be hungry for success, just like in 2010 when she battled from nowhere to become a medallist in London two years later."

Lee has been training in Hong Kong since capturing two gold medals at the Incheon Games and will now take part in the three-day UCI Class I track event at Hong Kong Velodrome in Tseung Kwan O, starting Friday.

The 27-year-old said she was still adjusting her form after the Asian Games, but a track event at home was always important.

"I hope more people can come to see us so we can race in a good atmosphere," said Lee.

Sarah Lee has put Hong Kong in the frame with her heroics at the London Olympics, at the Asian Games and on the World Cup circuit.

"We are about to start the new Olympic cycle and I hope to enjoy the next four years more than I did when I first started the road to the London Games," she added.

There will be 10 major races in the next two years as qualifiers for the Rio Games, including six World Cup Classic series, two World Championships and two Asian Championships.

"Lee should have little problem making it to the 2016 Games, but I also want the men's and women's pursuit teams to compete for the first time in the Olympics," said the coach.

"Both the Sports Institute and the national body have agreed to inject resources as it will incur major costs for two teams."

Diao Xiaojuan, who was unlucky to miss out on medals in the women's team pursuit and road race at the Asian Games, will try to qualify for Rio, but Jamie Wong Wan-yiu, who turns 28 next month, is still considering her future and will not take part in the Tseung Kwan O event.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Lee told to forget past success in Olympic build-up
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