Three-time Asian Games silver medallist Lee Ka-man announced her retirement on Monday after a stellar career spanning two decades. The 34-year-old Lee, who represented Hong Kong at the 2008 Beijing and 2016 Rio Olympic Games, has been battling a recurring injury during her final push for qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Games, which have been postponed until next summer. She was Hong Kong’s longest-serving and most successful rower, having represented the city since the age of 14. “I have decided to retire from my professional career as an athlete for Hong Kong Rowing. This has been a difficult process for myself and I have been struggling with the decision,” Lee wrote in a Facebook post alongside a heartfelt video of her family’s support during her professional career. “Since my participation in the Asian Games in Busan in [2002], I have enjoyed a career spanning over 18 years, allowing me to partake in many competitions including the Olympics. Afflicted with infirmity through age and injury since the Rio Olympics, I had contemplated on retiring and the thought came to me once again after the [2018] Jakarta Asian Games. I decided to persevere and set my final goal for [Tokyo 2020]. “In March it was unfortunately announced that the Olympic Games of 2020 would be postponed. Despite this, I trained positively and maintained hopes that I would still be able to compete in what would be a fitting conclusion to my career. “The return of my injury and ailment began to slowly afflict me. I struggled to keep up with the rigorous training regime and the ultimate decision to delay the Olympic Games by a year meant I had to make my decision and formally retire as an athlete,” she said. Lee made her record fifth appearance at the Asian Games in 2018, winning bronze in a memorable medal haul for Hong Kong . She first won silver at the 2006 Games in Doha, before winning two more in the women’s lightweight single skulls and open single skulls at Incheon 2014 . She also won two gold medals, 10 silver and two bronze at Asian Senior Championships, as well as medals at Asian Beach Games, East Asian Games and World Rowing Coastal Championships. “ In my early years, my decision to enlist as a professional athlete was not entirely understood by my family, yet they stood by me and faced every challenge I had, but I was never able to show enough appreciation to them for their love and support throughout all these years. Hello 大家好，我係香港賽艇運動員李嘉文。 2002的十月不足16歲的我首次代表香港參加釜山亞運，至今當了接近18年的全職運動員。2016里約奧運後即使我盡最大能力去克制傷病，隨著年齡漸長於日復日的高強度訓練感到明顯的難以恢復。2018亞運後亦有衝動的退役想法，但後來重拾目標方向和信心，相信自己仍有能力去繼續衝刺東京奧運。 由三月份確定要延遲奧運，我都一直抱著樂觀的心態去面對同重整訓練。歲月、時光不等人，於不斷的高強度訓練後，要較長時間恢復，再加上傷病的情況，早前經過好深入的思考，應該係時間要做出退役的決定。 這決定內心掙扎了好耐，好艱難，當中夾雜了很多不同的情緒，但我亦都必須克服，到今日我感到興奮和期待對未來的未知同挑戰。所以希望和大家分享退役的決定。 一直以來我都不擅長對家人表達愛意同感激，家人由最初不太支持我做全職運動員的決定，但整個過程不論我在什麼位置，我的家人一直默默在背後支持，沒有他們的體諒和信任，相信亦沒有今日的成就。 另外，中學的伍達仁校長是第一位推動我於賽艇的表現的人，他為了我有更好和更多的訓練，容許因晨早的訓練而批准我可以上學遲到，後來才知道，學校以前從來都沒有這樣的彈性。在中學，各位體育老師對我都有很多的支持和意見給我，我和他們現在都亦師亦友，他們的鼓勵對當時的我打了很強的強心針。 整段運動員生涯中，賽艇隊的教練，不論青年或成年組的教練給予了無數的機會讓我去表現，爭取最好的成績，今日的成就有賴他們的推動。 衷心感激，於不同的階段協助了我和陪伴我走過有很多的體育界朋友、前輩，你們的鼓勵和支持對我有很大的影響！ 賽艇成就了今天的我，年輕的時候是一位非常內斂和怕羞的學生。自從參與了賽艇，接觸到不同的人和事，亦於訓練過程中有很多挑戰，毎一個目標、每一個挑戰完成後亦令我更有信心！我最深刻的，不是我贏了比賽，而是在艱辛地準備的過程和輸掉一場本身你能力內能夠贏的比賽，因為這些過程是推動令我更進步！ 今日，我完成了當運動員的使命，期望自己能以過去的經歷、態度去影響和分享給年輕一輩，就如在中學時各人對我的影響和現在於不同方面協助的前輩，所以，我希望自己能像他們一樣和期望於並於教育方面對出一分力。 最後希望各位運動員朋友繼續努力，突破自己，為香港爭光。 I have decided to retire from my professional career as an athlete for Hong Kong Rowing. This has been a difficult process for myself and I have been struggling with the decision to do so. Since my participation in the Asian Games in Busan in 2006, I have enjoyed a career spanning over 18 years allowing me to partake in a many number of competitions including the Olympics. Afflicted with infirmity with age and injury since the Rio Olympics I had contemplated on retiring and the thought came to me once again after the Jakarta Asian Games. I decided to persevere and set my final goal for the Tokyo Olympics of 2020. In March of this year it was unfortunately announced that the Olympic Games of 2020 would be postponed. Despite this I trained positively and maintained hopes that I would still be able to compete in what would be a fortunate conclusion to my career. The return of my injury and ailment began to slowly afflict me, struggling to keep up with the rigorous training regime and the ultimate decision to delay the Olympic Games by a year meant I had to make my decision and formally retire as an athlete. In my former years of training, my decision to enlist as a professional athlete was not entirely understood by my family yet they stood by me and faced every challenge I had together but I was never able to show enough appreciation to them for their love and support throughout all these years. I have been extremely fortunate with all the support I have received from my peers and even my former principal Ng Dat Yan who allocated special class arrangements for me to train even though this was not the norm; I managed to find myself growing into the person I am today from a shy and timid schoolgirl. Meanwhile, coaches from both youth and elite squad had provided me countless opportunities to strive all the way through. My success in career is rely on their great support. My greatest memory and lesson was not in victory but in finding a greater sense of commitment and purpose in unexpected defeat; of which kept me humble and respectful of my opponents. I owe much of my success and experiences to my many peers and family and I do hope to pass on these experiences and acquired wisdom that was passed on to me by those who were in my place to the next generation of athletes and students. I wish the very best success to all Hong Kong athletes in their training and future contests and I look forward towards my future endeavours with the same passion and commitment that I have learnt in the past. Lee Ka Man, Carmen #HKRowing Posted by Lee Ka Man Oly on Sunday, 18 October 2020 “I have been extremely fortunate with all the support I have received from my peers and even my former principal Ng Da-yan, who allocated special class arrangements for me to train even though this was not the norm. I managed to find myself growing into the person I am today from a shy and timid schoolgirl. Meanwhile, coaches from both youth and elite squads provided me with countless opportunities,” she said. Hong Kong rower Lee Ka-man to make record fifth appearance at Asian Games “My greatest memories and lessons were not in victory but in finding a greater sense of commitment and purpose in unexpected defeat; keeping me humble and respectful of my opponents. I hope to pass on these experiences and acquired wisdom to the next generation of athletes and students. “I wish the very best success to all Hong Kong athletes in their training and future contests and I look forward to my future endeavours with the same passion and commitment that I have learnt in the past.” 【划越廿載 賽艇大師姐李嘉文宣佈掛槳】 http://www.rowing.org.hk/hk/news/carmen_retire/ ... Posted by Hong Kong, China Rowing Association on Sunday, 18 October 2020 Hong Kong Sports Institute head coach Chris Perry, who oversaw many of Lee’s accomplishments, said her role will never be forgotten. “Yes, [it’s] a little sad but she has definitely done more than her share to put Hong Kong rowing on the map. Like many older athletes around the world, the delay of the Tokyo Games made it a stretch just a little too far,” Perry said, calling Lee a “true role model” in his own post. “She was not satisfied that she could maintain the level of training and performance that she knows is needed. She has set the bar high for those who will follow her – both in performance and as a role model for commitment and dedication. “The decision to retire is always emotional for long-serving athletes. Nevertheless, I am confident this is the right decision for her at this point and she has my full support. We will definitely ask her to continue as an ambassador for our sport.”