Hong Kong athletes on Sunday (Aug 8) wrapped up the city's most successful performance at the Olympic Games so far, bagging a record six medals, as cycling legend Sarah Lee Wai-sze took the bronze in the women's sprint event in Tokyo.
As the 17-day 2020 Tokyo Olympics ended, members of Hong Kong's 46-member contingent had won one gold, two silver and three bronze medals, ranking 49th in the overall medals tally. Before the Tokyo Games, the city had secured had only secured three medals since its debut at the Olympics in 1952.
Lee, 34, dubbed Hong Kong's "cycling goddess", took the bronze in the sprint on the last day of the competitions in Tokyo after beating Emma Hinze of Germany. It was her second Olympics medal after having won a bronze medal in the women's keirin event at the London Olympic Games in 2012.
Lee had to settle for the bronze after being beaten by Olena Starikova of Ukraine in the semi-finals earlier on Sunday. She took the bronze with a consummate showing over two races against Hinze.
Lee told reporters that with her latest bronze medal, she had realized "half of her dream". Although the result wasn't that ideal, she had tried her best and had no regrets.
The veteran athlete also said she had come under "huge pressure" after losing the chance to go for the gold medal. But, with the support of her team, her family and her fans, she overcame it.
Hong Kong residents had gathered at shopping malls across the city since 9 am with cheer sticks and banners to watch Lee in the sprint semi-final and bronze medal races via live telecasts. After Lee won the bronze, the crowds burst into applause.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who also watched the telecast at the Hong Kong Sports Institute, congratulated Lee, describing the cyclist as a "Hong Kong legend".
"She has shown that her competence and determination have passed the test of time, and she has become a Hong Kong legend with her brilliant results. All Hong Kong people are overjoyed at her achievements," Lam said.
Lee is the first Hong Kong world champion in women's cycling competitions. As a full-time athlete since 2004, she has brought honor to Hong Kong in the international sporting arena with outstanding results, including winning gold medals at various competitions in the Asian Games in 2010, 2014 and 2018, as well as gold medals at the world championships in 2013 and 2019.
Summarizing the Hong Kong team's brilliant performance at the Tokyo Games, Lam said many Hong Kong athletes have broken Hong Kong or their personal records, and many local residents are proud of them.
She said the Hong Kong athletes' success is due to their relentless efforts and the support of the local community, noting that the SAR government had allocated HK$737 million (US$95 million) for the Hong Kong Sports Institute in the 2021-2022 financial year — up about 42 percent from 2017-2018.
Lam hopes their historic performance could inject fresh momentum into the development of sports in Hong Kong, with more support from enterprises and residents, and greater enthusiasm for sports.
There will also be several major sports events to be held in the short term, with Hong Kong taking part, including the 14th National Games, which will take place in Shaanxi Province in mid-September. Following the Tokyo Olympics, some Hong Kong athletes have gone to the Chinese mainland to prepare for the National Games.
Hong Kong's dazzling performance at the Tokyo Games has fueled local residents' enthusiasm for sports and brought hope for young athletes.
After Cheung Ka-long won the city's first ever gold medal in the men's individual foil fencing event, the number of people who have registered for fencing classes has surged by up to 70 percent, according to the Hong Kong Fencing School.
According to a recent survey, more than 70 percent of local residents interviewed agreed that Hong Kong should hold more international sports events, such as the Asian Youth Games and the FISU World University Games.
(Source: China Daily)
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