Hong Kong’s Anna Fisher rows her way to 5 gold medals at world masters regatta in South Africa
- The 32-year-old athlete says she feels happy her training paid off and that she has something to show for it
- More than 800 rowers from around the world including former Olympians competed in 308 races at the Roodeplaat Dam in South Africa
Hong Kong rower Anna Fisher has won five gold medals at a world masters regatta in South Africa after beating injury and funding challenges.
Fisher, 32, the only Hong Kong contestant in the World Rowing Masters Regatta this year, told the Post: “I feel happy that my training paid off and that I had something to show for it. I had been training for a year prior to this regatta.”
More than 800 rowers from around the world including former Olympians competed in 308 races at the Roodeplaat Dam, about 20km northeast of the capital Pretoria, in the four-day event from September 21 to 24.
Fisher took gold in the races of the women’s single sculls and quadruple sculls, as well as mixed double sculls, defeating rowers from Germany, the United States and Australia, among others.
Fisher – who represented Hong Kong in sailing at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta – said she was glad she could overcome pain from an injury in her right knee that forced her to stop for a while last year.
“I had a suspected tear in my meniscus. At it’s worst I couldn’t sit down properly,” Fisher said, adding that she managed to return after months of rest and rehab for mobility.
Fisher said funding was once a huge obstacle, owing to the expenses for travelling, accommodation and entries to competitions, which cost her around HK$ 30,000 (US$3,800) in total.
