- Top local rider is delighted the prestigious cycling event went off without a hitch after the city protests had the organisers worried
- She is not too disappointed of her fifth-place finish in the women’s keirin saying her main target is the Tokyo Olympics
Top cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-sze said she was relieved that the four-day World Cup series has ended without major incident after she ended her campaign with a disappointing fifth place in the women's keirin on Sunday.
Despite failing to add to her gold medal won the previous day in the sprint " her seventh World Cup gold since the 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifiers began last year " the 2012 London Games bronze medallist and two-time world champion said she was glad the Hong Kong leg of the World Cup series had ended in peace. Hong Kong has been rocked by months of social unrest and the city's finest rider was worried the home leg of the prestigious track cycling competition would be affected.
Fans rushed to the Tseung Kwan O velodrome to support the home favourite, filling the 2,000 seat venue in the last minute, although they might have left the venue a bit disappointed that Lee could only manage fifth place in the final.
Sarah Lee manages a disappointing fifth place in the women's keirin pic.twitter.com/BVZ3Ys5fs4
" Kin-wa Chan (@Kinwachan1024) December 1, 2019
South Korea's Lee Hye-jin won the title with Liubov Basova, of Ukraine, finishing second. Japanese rider Yuka Kobayashai, who also defeated the Hong Kong rider at the Asian Championships early this year, came third.
Lee still thanked the "fantastic fans" for their support. She encouraged the young generation of Hong Kong to keep fighting for their future.
Sarah Lee in a class of her own as she snatches gold in women's sprint in Hong Kong leg of World Cup
"Over the last two weeks, I felt worried about the situation that maybe the overseas riders would be in danger when they came here for the event," said Lee. "In fact, during the first two rounds (of the series), some riders kept asking us about Hong Kong, whether it would be safe or not. But everything got better after voting day (district board elections last Sunday).
"I feel happy that so many riders came and trusted us and just focused on their races. They didn't feel unsafe as they took pictures on the streets on their way to the velodrome. I am glad this is the last day and it's all over.
"I hope everyone here can feel our spirit, the spirit of Hong Kong. We can have many ways to express our concerns, may be it works this time but may be it will lead us to a more difficult future. Hong Kong is our home and I hope they can find some other way to fight for freedom."
Teenage rider Lee Sze-wing can be Hong Kong's future star, says coach Shen Jinkang
The rider was not too worried about the keirin result. "Maybe I attacked a bit too early from the 300 metres to the finish and therefore lacked the stamina to go through. But I did very well in the first two rounds before reaching the final and it doesn't really matter at all. The World Cup is not the Olympics and our focus should be the Tokyo Games next year," she said.
Coach Shen Jinkang shrugged off Lee's performance in the keirin.
"She is going to be the one to watch in the sprinting events (in Tokyo) and every rider is targeting her," the coach said. "It is very difficult for Lee but we are confident she can keep her form as the Olympic Games approach."
Shen, however, praised up-and-coming Lee Sze-wing, who finished seventh in the women's omnium, which is also the best-ever result for Hong Kong in the highly competitive Olympic programme.
World Cup cycling organisers hope contingency plans will not be needed as calm returns to Hong Kong
"She was very aggressive against many top riders of the world and her result says it all," he said. "This is her first season in the senior category and it was her maiden World Cup series. She will definitely be our major future (rider) especially for the next Asian Games."
In the men's madison, Cheung King-lok and Leung Chun-wing kept their Olympic qualification hopes alive with an 11th-place finish. "Our target is to reach the top eight in the remaining three rounds which will help consolidate our Olympic berth," said Cheung.
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