Injury-prone Jessica Lee determined to ‘serve up’ a surprise in Tokyo

Ex-French cuisine chef is making a comeback after suffering a series of falls over the last 12 months

She was beaten by more illustrious rival, Sarah Lee, in both finals at the Hong Kong track championships

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Sarah Lee joins hands with Jessica Lee after winning the women’s keirin final at the Hong Kong track cycling championships at the Hong Kong velodrome in Tseung Kwan O. Photo: May Tse

Published: 7:19pm, 7 Jul 2019Updated: 10:41pm, 7 Jul 2019

Sprinter Jessica Lee Hoi-yan is determined not to let a series of injuries derail her Olympic track cycling dream.

The 28-year-old former French cuisine chef, who was runner-up to rival Sarah Lee Wai-sze in the keirin and 500m time trial on Sunday at the Hong Kong track championships at the Tseung Kwan O velodrome, suffered a heavy fall on a concrete velodrome in the women’s keirin final in Brno, Czech Republic last month.

Sarah Lee (right) is ready to pounce on Jessica Lee on her way to victory in the women’s keirin final. Photo: May Tse

“I am still considering the pros and cons of an operation on my right hand’s little finger caused by the fall,” said Jessica Lee, who returned to Hong Kong from Scotland last year to attempt a full-time career targeting the 2020 Olympic Games. “The tendon was broken and I can’t bend my little finger and apparently the injury could affect my control of the bike.

“There were also scratches on my face and a red blood spot inside my right eye.”

In March, Lee also suffered a serious fall in the keirin at the world championships in Pruszkow, Poland, and was taken to hospital for an operation to take out a blood clot in her hip.

She took a big knock on her head during a practice session fall in the Cottbuser Sprint Cup in Germany last year and needed hospital treatment.