Too old for Tokyo? My rivals will be older too at the Olympics, says track cycling star Sarah Lee
- The 2012 London Games bronze medal winner says there’s a misconception that athletes should retire after 30
- Lee is looking forward to taking on her younger rivals at next year’s rescheduled Olympics
Track cycling star Sarah Lee Wai-sze dismissed suggestions that she would be “too old” at next year’s Tokyo Olympics, arguing her rivals won’t be getting any younger, too.
As Lee celebrated her 33rd birthday on Tuesday, there were some who were not entirely convinced that Hong Kong’s best medal hope in Tokyo would be a major force on the velodrome, seeing that she will be 34 by the time the Games roll out – that’s if the Olympics are going to be held next summer.
“Many people have asked me if I would be too old for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games which have been pushed back a year [because of the coronavirus pandemic],” said Lee, who was interviewed on social media as one of the 2018 Ten Outstanding Young Persons Selection recipients.
“They think my strength and fitness would not be as strong as the younger athletes. But in fact I am not the only one who will be a year older at the Olympics. We will all be one year older by then.
“There’s a misconception that athletes should retire once they reach 30. And if you look at those riders from the West, many of them are older than me and some of them have gone on to win even an Olympic gold medal. Therefore, I don’t have anything to worry about my age. I will just do my best everyday and try to avoid getting injured during this period.”
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