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Paul Ryding

It is perhaps a measure of Hong Kong’s spectacular performance at the Tokyo Games, that Sarah Lee Wai-sze’s bronze medal win in the sprint on the last day could even remotely be considered a minor disappointment.
After all, it is a tremendous feat that was celebrated ecstatically when she first achieved it at the London 2012 Games, where she won Hong Kong’s only medal and just the city’s third ever.
In Japan, Hong Kong has now trebled its all-time medal haul, which perhaps explains why expectations might have been ever so slightly raised.
Lee has ensured she goes into the history books as Hong Kong’s only multi-Olympic medal winner, with her second bronze medal coming nine years after her first.
Hopefully, she will be the first of many multi-Olympic medallists in this young Hong Kong squad.

The only element of her incredible achievement that could be considered anything less than remarkable was her performance on Saturday, when she swatted aside Britain’s Katy Marchant, the Rio 2016 bronze medallist, that suggested she was capable of going at least one step further up the podium.
But in her semi-final, she came up against an inspired opponent in Ukraine’s Olena Starikova, a star of the future who beat out the 34-year-old with sheer power, and eventually claimed the silver medal.
Hong Kong fans proud of Sarah Lee and best-ever Games haul
Lee was relegated to competing for bronze against the team sprint silver-medal winner from earlier in the Games, Germany’s Emma Hinze. And it was here, against the reigning sprint, keirin and team sprint world champion, that Lee underscored her credentials as one of the best tactical racers in the sport.
She pawed with Hinze in the opening race of their bronze-medal contest, before striking at the exact right time and romping into a 1-0 lead. The second race was another cagey affair, with Lee drawing on all her experience to avoid making the first move.
The Hongkonger eventually forced Hinze to strike out first and timed her run over the top of the German and into the city’s sporting history books to perfection.
It was a clinical display and one befitting a cyclist as highly regarded and decorated as Lee.

Will it definitely be the last act of a fine Olympic career for the veteran? She would not be drawn on the question, only playfully responding “we’ll see”, but she did confirm she would head directly to Shanghai to quarantine ahead of the China National Games.
Lee admitted to being taken by surprise at how quick some of her rivals were this week. And while many of those competing at Izu Velodrome have reported that the track was lightning fast, and that they expected records to tumble in the conditions, Lee pointed to a less than ideal build-up to the Games as a factor for her appearing off the pace early on.
“Our closed-door training might not have been good enough to prepare me for these Games,” Lee said. “It could have been better. Only training in Hong Kong meant that the level was perhaps not good enough.”

There had been suspicions earlier in the week, after she laboured in the keirin before qualifying ninth quickest in the sprint, that perhaps she was struggling in younger company. Lee admitted that had been the case.
“There have been many psychological problems for me,” Lee said. “Especially in the 200m qualifiers when my result lagged far behind my competitors. I needed to tell myself tomorrow is a new day after my struggles. With the concerted effort of my team, we succeeded.
“I have some regrets in the keirin – a mistake in the semi-finals affected my chances of reaching the final, or I could have reached my target.”

Much had been made about Lee’s status as a veteran in perhaps her final Games. She was one of the oldest riders in the field in Izu, but she said she had been confident that her advanced years were an advantage rather than a weakness.
“Every race is a learning process,” Lee said. “If you put too much focus on winning a medal, you might not get it, but if you release yourself and try different tactics, you may be able to make it.
“Against younger riders, age does not matter. It depends more on your form on the day. Psychological form affects the result a lot. I have raced for five days and I became more stable in my mind.”
Who is Sarah Lee? From an anaemic youth to world champion
After a high pressure build-up to these unique Olympics, Lee spoke of relief that it was over and said she now needs rest before switching her focus to the National Games.
“I haven’t ever slept without pressure. Now the most important thing is for me to get a nice sleep,” she said, slumped in a chair before trailing away for a well-earned rest.
“I’m not thinking too much about the upcoming events. I can have a good sleep before the National Games. Nothing is more important than that. There’s no need to give yourself too much burden. Do your own job properly and that’s the spirit of Hong Kong.”


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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo Olympics: Sarah Lee’s bronze tinged with mild disappointment, which says everything about how good Hong Kong have been at Games

Sarah Lee celebrates after winning bronze in the women’s track cycling sprint finals at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong's Lee Wai Sze celebrates after taking bronze in the women's track cycling sprint finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome in Izu, Japan, on August 8, 2021. (Photo by Greg Baker / AFP)

scmp

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Track - Women's Sprint - Bronze Final - Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka, Japan - August 8, 2021. Lee Wai Sze of Hong Kong reacts. REUTERS/Matthew Childs

Hong Kong's Lee Wai Sze celebrates after taking bronze in the women's track cycling sprint finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome in Izu, Japan, on August 8, 2021. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)

Tokyo Olympics: Sarah Lee poised to write perfect closing chapter on Hong Kong’s greatest Games

Sarah Lee Wai-sze gets the better of Katy Marchant of Great Britain in their quarter-final of the sprint at Izu Velodrome in Japan. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong's Lee Wai Sze before the start in a heat of the women's track cycling sprint 1/8 finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome in Izu, Japan, on August 7, 2021. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Cycling - Track - Women's Sprint - Quarterfinal - Izu Velodrome, Shizuoka, Japan - August 7, 2021. Lee Wai Sze of Hong Kong and Katy Marchant of Britain in action. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

People watch TV display at Causeway Bay show Tokyo Olympics: Sarah Lee sprints into semi-finals, 07AUG21 SCMP/ Dickson Lee

Britain's Katy Marchant (R) and Hong Kong's Lee Wai Sze compete in the women's track cycling sprint quarter-finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome in Izu, Japan, on August 7, 2021. (Photo by Greg Baker / AFP)

Tokyo Olympics: Hong Kong camp on edge as Sarah Lee squeaks through to third round in sprint – ‘it was a bit scary’

Hong Kong’s Sarah Lee Wai-sze cannot reel in Great Britain’s Katy Merchant in her last-16 heat. Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

epaselect epa09399738 Lee Wai Sze of Hong Kong competes in the Women's Sprint qualifying during the Track Cycling events of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Izu Velodrome in Ono, Shizuoka, Japan, 06 August 2021. EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHER JUE

TOPSHOT - Riders from Netherlands, Belgium and Poland crashes in the women's track cycling madison final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome in Izu, Japan, on August 6, 2021. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)

Cyclists compete in the women's track cycling madison final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome in Izu, Japan, on August 6, 2021. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)

Tokyo Olympics: Sarah Lee fails to repeat London 2012 heroics in keirin final bid, finishes eighth overall

Sarah Lee misses out on a place in the keirin final at Izu Velodrome on Thursday. Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Ukraine's Olena Starikova, Ukraine's Liubov Basova, New Zealand's Ellesse Andrews, China's Zhong Tianshi, Mexico's Luz Daniela Gaxiola Gonzalez and Hong Kong's Lee Wai Sze compete in a heat of the women's track cycling keirin semi-finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome in Izu, Japan, on August 5, 2021. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)

Tokyo Olympics: Sarah Lee remains in medal hunt after moving into sprint last-eight

Sarah Lee pips Mathilde Gros and advances to the sprint quarter-finals. Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Hong Kong's Lee Wai Sze (L) compete with France's Mathilde Gros in a heat of the women's track cycling sprint 1/8 finals during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Izu Velodrome in Izu, Japan, on August 7, 2021. (Photo by Greg Baker / AFP)

Sport

Hong Kong


Six medals won in Japan make it the greatest Games ever for city’s athletes
Unprecedented success raised expectations for cyclist in her sprint semi-final



Hong Kong’s unprecedented success in Tokyo raised expectations for cyclist in her sprint semi-final, but the gold-medal race proved out of reach.


Based on factual reporting but incorporating the expertise of the author, offering interpretations and conclusions.  (Eg. Clash of Civilisations in South China Sea: will China or the US prevail?)


Analysis

Analysis | Tokyo Olympics: Sarah Lee’s bronze tinged with mild disappointment, which says everything about how good Hong Kong have been at Games

Six medals won in Japan make it the greatest Games ever for city’s athletes Unprecedented success raised expectations for cyclist in her sprint semi-final

Six medals won in Japan make it the greatest Games ever for city’s athletes

Unprecedented success raised expectations for cyclist in her sprint semi-final