Tokyo Olympics: Windsurfer Hayley Chan in RS:X medal race after qualifier clawback as Michael Cheng misses out
- Only the top 10 boats are eligible to compete for a podium finish in Enoshima, with Chan qualifying in eighth
- Cheng, who came eighth in Rio 2016, fails to make it into the medal race with an overall 13th-place finish
Windsurfer Hayley Chan Hei-man made it into the women’s RS:X medal race, but teammate Michael Cheng Chun-leung is out of the men’s after a disappointing run in his last three races.
With all 12 regular races completed in Enoshima on Thursday, Chan, who last appeared in the 2012 London Olympics despite a life-threatening injury sustained pre-Games, finished eighth overall among the 27 boardsailors.
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Only the top 10 boats are eligible for the medal race on Saturday, with double points awarded. Chan had an excellent run in the last three races on Thursday, finishing fourth, eighth and third, respectively.
“She had some very good performance today despite rough conditions, with strong wind and choppy waters favouring the bigger built boardsailors and not her,” said windsurfing head coach Chan King-yin. “She learned the conditions well and managed every opportunity that came her way to get a better result.
“She will now be in the medal race and this will also be the last time the RS:X discipline will feature in the Olympics. She feels very happy as one of those who will be racing. Chan will be trying to improve her ranking and enjoy this last moment.”
