I did my best and have no regrets: Sarah Lee

Hong Kong cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-sze said winning the bronze medal in sprint realized half of her dream, but she has no regrets as she already did her best.

Following her win, Hong Kong team wrapped up Tokyo Olympics with the best performance ever -- one gold, two silver, and three bronze. Lee is also the first Hong Kong athlete to win a medal in two Olympics. 

Lee lost in the keirin race last week. In the sprint race today, she lost to Ukraine's Olena Starikova in the semi-final. But she stood her ground against Germany's Emma Hinze, beating the later in two consecutive rounds and won the bronze.

Lee said after the race that winning bronze is only "half of her dream coming true", but she did her best and had no regret. 

She said she knew Hong Kong people and herself have great expectations of her to win the gold, but life is full of the unexpected. 

"Although we tried very hard and the result is not as ideal as hoped, do not regret it as we did our best,” she said. 

Tokyo Olympics is Lee's third Olympics and many Hongkongers have big expectations on her. 

She admitted she faced a lot of pressure to meet people's expectations, but that she has learned to cherish her abilities and to protect and love herself. 

She said in the earlier keirin race, she lost two chances to break through and it was a pity to not win a medal.

But her coach Shen Jinkang encouraged her after the defeat. 

“He said the Olympic Games is a game. One can gain experience from each time, and that the learning process is more meaningful than getting medals,” she said. 

Lee is grateful to her team for helping her through different difficulties and her family for not putting pressure on her during the pandemic and fully support her in the competition. 

She attributed her win to the whole team, to God and her family.

“I have been representing the Hong Kong team for 13 years. Without the Hong Kongers being there for me, I would not be on the podium today," said Lee. 

She also said that wearing the Hong Kong team jersey gives her strength.

Hong Kong cycling coach Shen Jin-kang said that Lee used up her strength too early in the semi-final but perform very well in the bronze medal match, tactically defeat her opponent.

He said Lee hasn't mentioned that she is not participating in the Paris Olympics in three years. She is physically fit to continue as she was not seriously injured, he said: "She may still want better results.” 

He believes that the award is an inspiration to young athletes in Hong Kong. "I can see young people in Hong Kong are brave in facing world competitions and continuing to fight for better results."

Shen also said that the venues of short-distance events are ever-changing so that athletes have to keep adapting to new environments and opponents. 

"It is very difficult for them. Other team riders, Jessica Lee Hoi-yan, Leung Bo-yee, and Pang Yao, all work very hard. Thank the athletes for their efforts."

He appreciates Hong Kong for giving him opportunities to achieve himself in the Olympics and the development of cycling. and to see that young people in Hong Kong are brave to face the world competition and keep improving to get results.

"Thanks to the support of Hong Kong people, this spirit will make Hong Kong's future better and better," said Shen.