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UCI Track Cycling World Cup
SportHong Kong

UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup: Hong Kong’s Sarah Lee smashes sprint heats as gold medal beckons

  • Hong Kong Olympic hope Lee finishes above Japanese contenders in women’s sprint qualifying
  • Teammates Lee and To qualify for next rounds as Law bows out in the men’s 1km time trial

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Hong Kong women's Sarah Lee Wai-sze at the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup at the Hong Kong Velodrome in Tseung Kwan O in May. Photo: Cycling Association of Hong Kong
Andrew McNicol
Hong Kong’s Sarah Lee Wai-sze showed no signs of rust after making a powerful statement in the women’s sprint qualifying (200m) at day 2 of the inaugural UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup at a bubbled-up Hong Kong Velodrome, Tseung Kwan O.

The 34-year-old placed first in the individual heats with a time of 10.66 seconds – averaging a speed of 63.6km/h – well ahead of next-best Japanese trio Yuka Kobayashi, Ohta Riyu and Umekawa Fuko. She will take her place in the quarter-finals this afternoon. The world record is 10.154

It was Lee’s first formal solo race having spent more than 14 months out of competition due to the Covid-19 pandemic. She had warmed her legs up at a no-nonsense display in the women’s pursuit event on day one. The 2019 Asian championship women’s keirin gold medallist Kobayashi is likely to be Lee’s most dangerous competitor in the finals.
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Teammate Jessica Lee Hoi-yan also secured a spot in the finals in the same category, clocking 11.33 seconds and averaging a speed of 63.54km/h. The 30-year-old made the cut with a 10th place finish, but unfortunately did not qualify past the sprint 1/8 finals.

Hong Kong track cyclist Jessica Lee Hoi-yan after training in the Hong Kong Velodrome in Tseung Kwan O ahead of the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup in May. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong track cyclist Jessica Lee Hoi-yan after training in the Hong Kong Velodrome in Tseung Kwan O ahead of the UCI Track Cycling Nations Cup in May. Photo: Handout
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Elsewhere, team staple To Cheuk-hei squeezed into the final of the men’s 1km time trial qualifying with a time of 1:04.05, averaging 56.21km/h. The 21-year-old opened his 2021 competitive account in eighth place – the last to qualify. His heat opponent, Marco Mathis of Germany, qualified comfortably.. world record 56.303

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