Tokyo Olympics: Windsurfer Hayley Chan Hei-man finishes eighth as China’s Lu clinches gold

Name: Tokyo 2020 week one highlights – and which Olympic events could deliver more medals for Hong Kong
Uploaded: 2021-07-31T08:02:17.000Z
Duration: 7 min
Description: Tokyo 2020 week one highlights – and which Olympic events could deliver more medals for Hong Kong

The city’s top women’s windsurfer thanks head coach Chan and the Hong Kong people in what could be her last Olympics

‘You really changed my life by trusting that I would still be able to compete,’ Chan says of former coach Appel

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Hong Kong windsurfer Hayley Chan Hei-man competing in the women’s RS: X medal race at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: Getty Images

Andrew McNicol

Published: 4:02pm, 31 Jul 2021Updated: 10:47pm, 31 Jul 2021

Hong Kong’s Hayley Chan Hei-man finished eighth in the overall women’s RS: X fleet after an impressive seventh-place finish in the medal race final in the Enoshima Yacht Harbour on Saturday.

The 30-year-old secured her best-ever Olympic performance after narrowly qualifying for the final two days earlier. The double points showdown allowed Chan, who finished 12th in her Games debut in London 2012 despite having being hospitalised weeks beforehand, to maintain her placing after the 12 regular races throughout the week. She finished on 95 net points, just two behind Danish compatriot Laerke Buhl-Hansen.

Chan individually thanked all the coaches – especially former Hong Kong windsurfing head coach Rene Appel and incumbent Chan King-yin – who helped her throughout her career in what is likely to be her final Olympic outing. She said in the lead-up that she was ready to think about coaching and starting a family.

“Thanks to all my coaches for believing in my Olympic dream. Everyone has really taken care in this circle. Rene, I really want to thank you, even though you’re not in Hong Kong at the moment and you’re sailing around the world. You really changed my life by trusting that I would still be able to compete at the Olympics, even though I had that accident. Thank you for passing me onto Ah Ying [Chan] because he has definitely changed my life,” Chan said after the race.

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Tokyo 2020 week one highlights – and which Olympic events could deliver more medals for Hong Kong

“Thanks to Ah Ying, although he can get on my nerves, but I really feel he has helped me realise my dream to get to the Olympics.

“We learned step by step and I’ve learned so much about myself. Thanks for helping me on this path, and you giving 100 per cent at every training, maybe your hunger is even bigger than mine. And thanks to the Hong Kong people.”