2020 Olympics postponed: setback for Hong Kong’s gold medal hope Sarah Lee after one-year delay to Tokyo Games

Cycling Association chief Leung Hung-tak hopes the London 2012 bronze medallist will still be competitive at 34 in the summer of 2021

The Olympics postponement throws up a number of unknowns such as the format of qualifying for a rescheduled Games

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Sarah Lee (right) takes on Canada’s Kelsey Mitchell on her way to the bronze in the women’s sprint at the Berlin world championships. Photo: EPA

Published: 7:00am, 25 Mar 2020Updated: 10:23pm, 25 Mar 2020

Sarah Lee Wai-sze’s hopes of an Olympic gold medal has suffered a setback after the Tokyo Games were postponed for one year, but Hong Kong’s cycling chief is confident the 2012 London bronze medallist and other cyclists can stay motivated for 2021.

Lee, Hong Kong’s only world-class rider, was among the favourites for track gold this summer but she will be 34 years old when the rescheduled Olympics are held in the summer of 2021 – as indicated by Japanese organisers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The IOC and organisers announced on Tuesday that the Games would be postponed by one year because of the Covid-19 pandemic that has killed 17,000 people around the world.

Leung Hung-tak, chairman of the Hong Kong Cycling Association, said Lee faced a major challenge to maintain her form over the next 16 months.

“For Sarah, a one-year delay means she will be one year older and she would need a suitable training programme to ensure she can be at her peak when the Games are held,” said Leung.