2018 Asian Games offers new hope for Hong Kong windsurfer Hayley Chan after Rio 2016 heartbreak
The 27-year-old nearly quit the sport after failing to qualify for the last Olympics but now she is fully focused on Jakarta
Windsurfer Hayley Chan Hei-man considered retirement after failing to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, but now the oldest member of the Hong Kong squad has put the disappointment behind her and is setting her sights on a third straight Asian Games medal.
“I thought I would have gone back to school after missing the Rio Olympics,” said the 27-year-old, who captured one silver and one gold at the past two Asian Games respectively. “In fact, I have completed one semester only since being enrolled to the University of Hong Kong in 2010 and it was about time to re-consider my studies. After all, losing the Olympic selection was a big disappointment for my career.
“But then I asked myself if I still had the passion for sport and if I could still improve. If I did, why not? After consulting my coaches, family members and friends, I made up my mind and decided to give the Asian Games another go.”
Chan won a gold in Incheon four years ago, following a silver in mistral class in the 2010 Guangzhou Games but the road to Jakarta was not easy as many up-and-coming boardsailors are catching up quickly.
“I faced a lot of challenges from the younger windsurfers before winning the selection and then needed to overcome the demanding training requirements to stay competitive,” she said. “My coach Chan King-yin has won two Asian Games gold medals during his career and knows how to get the best out of me through some tough training methods.”
At last month’s Asian Sailing Championships in Jakarta, where the Asian Games windsurfing will take place in the same course, Chan finished with a silver medal, just ahead of her major rival Chen Peina, of China, the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist who will also be in the Indonesian capital.
