Olympic heroine Sarah Lee says Asian Games 2022 still a possibility as she shows no signs of slowing up
- The 34-year-old Lee has not committed to her next event but considers team sprint the best option at Hangzhou Asiad
- Cycling team moves on to Shaanxi to continue search for medals in road racing
Track cycling star Sarah Lee Wai-sze would not rule out participating in next year’s Asian Games, although she is still pondering her future after returning home from a successful two-month overseas campaign, which included medal wins at the Tokyo Olympic and the National Games.
The 34-year-old, who completed her third Olympics in Tokyo and fourth National Games in Luoyang, refused to give a definite answer on her plans.
“I won’t set my sights on any multi-sport games, but if I decide to take part in the 2022 Asian Games, I will only join the team sprint as one of the three members and not the two individual events,” said Lee, arguably Hong Kong’s greatest athlete of her generation. “I will not commit to anything. All I want to do is take a rest after the lengthy journey and go back to university to continue my studies.
Sarah Lee sprints to gold medal at National Games
“Indeed, if the sport wants to maintain a healthy and sustainable development, we should give the opportunity to other upcoming riders so that they can come through the ranks one day and take up the baton. I don’t want people to always put the focus on me as I can always serve the sport, but maybe in different capacities. My existing scholarship with the Sports Institute will not end until March and it’s possible I will have a better picture of my future by then.”
One thing for certain is that Lee will not take part in next month’s World Championships in Roubaix, France, set for late October, despite being the only one of Hong Kong’s cyclists to achieve qualification.
“The sprinting events will be represented by my two teammates in the team sprint, as they can use my qualification spots,” said Lee, who claimed a bronze medal in Japan before adding a gold and a bronze in China.
Cycling chief wants Sarah Lee to lead squad at 2022 Hangzhou Games
“I would prefer to spend more time on my studies at this moment. But I will not stop training. Modern advances in sports science can help me train smartly – spending less time but maintaining a similar efficiency. In fact, I feel my body can still cope with the conditions of competing in two successive major games.”
Her two teammates, youngster Yeung Cho-yiu and Jessica Lee Hoi-yan also returned home on Wednesday night upon completion of all the track cycling events at the National Games.
“I could have done better in Luoyang but my physical fitness was not up to the required standard of a major competition,” said 20-year-old National Games debutant Yeung. “Thanks to Lee, who spoke to me after the races so that I will not lose confidence and would continue to work hard to strive for better performances in the future.”
Hong Kong captured one gold and two bronze medals in track cycling at the Games. The other bronze was won by Leung Ka-yu in the men’s omnium. However, they won two golds, three silvers and two bronze medals at the last Games in Tianjin four years ago and Cycling Association chairman Leung Hung-tak reckoned the result this time around was far from ideal.
The team will have the chance to make up some ground as they move to Shangluo in Shaanxi province where the road race competitions will take place.
Hong Kong’s best chance will be in both individual races. They have a strong squad headed by Leung Chun-wing in the men’s and Yang Qianyu in the women’s teams.
