HONG KONG CYCLING QUEEN SARAH LEE HOPING AN HEIR IS CROWNED AT NATIONAL GAMES

Retired two-time Olympic medallist tipping new era to begin this year - 'my story has gone on too long'

Four years after claiming her second Olympic medal, Sarah Lee Wai-sze has challenged Hong Kong's emerging riders to usher in a new era of cycling success for the city.

With bronzes from the London 2012 Games and Tokyo in 2021, Lee can legitimately claim to be Hong Kong's greatest cyclist.

Now 37, and two years into her retirement, she told the Post: "My story has gone on too long, it is time for a new name."

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

Ceci Lee Sze-wing, long tipped as the heiress to Sarah Lee's throne, has delivered a string of promising performances this year, most notably claiming her first continental gold amid a five-medal haul from February's Asian Track Championships.

The elder Lee, however, is anticipating a new local cycling star emerging from this year's National Games, with track events being staged at Hong Kong Velodrome for the first time as the city co-hosts with Guangdong and Macau.

"I feel so excited the National Games is going to happen in three [places], and I think it could bring a surprise," Lee said.

"The Hong Kong riders are all young and I hope someone will shine. I don't know who it will be, but I think that person will lead the team to have good results at the Asian Games [in 2026]."

Ceci Lee has previously acknowledged the burden of trying to emulate her decorated predecessor, while former coach Shen Jinkang's 2019 prediction that she could be "the star of the next generation" heaped on more pressure.

"Sometimes, the [media] makes too much noise for them to manage," Sarah Lee said. "If you're trying to become someone else, you can lose your way.

"We have to create our own world, and let other people understand it ... not see someone else who is strong and try to follow what they do."

A three-time world champion, she was trackside on Saturday when Ceci Lee, 23, claimed Hong Kong International Track Cup omnium bronze.

"I saw some moments of her in good form, but also times when she suddenly lost confidence, which is normal for a young rider," said Lee, who won her first Olympic medal aged 25.

"I spoke to her, and it was good [to hear] she enjoyed the race. When you enjoy it, the performance is more likely to come."

Nonetheless, Lee said Hong Kong's cyclists must "think more deeply" about their sport. "They are not here only to enjoy it, they are here to win," she said.

The same message is being delivered by Herve Dagorne, the head coach who permanently replaced long-serving Shen last year, and sprint and road coaches Anthony Peden and Ben Kersten, from New Zealand and Australia respectively.

"The coaching team is totally different [from when I raced], they have a Western approach, and bring knowledge and training styles from other parts of the world," Sarah Lee said.

"Hong Kong riders can't use the same technique as Western riders, because we have different body shapes and cultures ... so [the coaches] have to match both cultures."

Lee, who claimed her Olympic medals in the keirin and sprint disciplines, has been coaching children with special needs. She said she "still needed more time to study", after gaining degrees in health education, and professional and creative writing, before considering a role with the Hong Kong team.

"My studies have brought me so many insights," said Lee, who is planning to compete in local races "after my academics finish".

"As a coach you need a clear vision, and to know how to organise everything," Lee said. "It's not enough to just look at how to develop strong cyclists. I'm trying to make myself a stronger and better woman."

More Articles from SCMP

China calls on Indonesia to jointly oppose protectionism as US trade war deepens

China’s yuan sees payment popularity rise amid ‘soaring volatility’ in US Treasury market

Taiwan opposition summit aims to confront DPP ‘suppression’ amid recall battle

China’s humanoid robot sector enters mass production with Unitree, AgiBot among pack

This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.

Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

2025-04-21T23:56:08Z