Hong Kong athletes can succeed if North Koreans can, former world champion cyclist Wong Kam-po says
- ‘Athletes in North Korea may not have enough equipment but they are determined to succeed,’ Wong says as he insists his city’s riders are well supported
- Wong adds he may form a cycling team and send them to compete in Europe
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Hong Kong has enough facilities and support for its cyclists to succeed at global level, the city’s former world champion Wong Kam-po has said, pointing out that North Korean athletes had to thrive without such backing.
The three-time Asian Games gold medallist said the determination of an athlete outweighed any infrastructure need, recalling his own successes before the construction of improved facilities such as Hong Kong Velodrome.
“I had competed at the Asian Games and the Olympics before that, so infrastructure was not the main issue,” the 50-year-old said as he opened his flagship bike store in Hong Kong on Friday.
“Athletes in North Korea may not have enough equipment but they are determined to succeed.
“When riding on the road, you were not there for the scenery. It’s always a straight line when you swim in the pool – it may seem boring but that’s the nature of [elite sports] training. I believe what we have in Hong Kong is really good already.”
Following the retirements of Wong and two-time Olympic bronze medallist Sarah Lee Wai-sze, in 2013 and this year respectively, the next great Hong Kong hope is track cyclist Ceci Lee Sze-wing – perhaps the city’s only hope ahead of the Paris Olympics.
The 22-year-old, who took two silvers and one bronze at this year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, has three more UCI Track Nations Cup meets to earn enough points to go to Paris, starting with the first one in Adelaide in February.
Hong Kong will host the second leg from March 15 to 17 at its velodrome in Tseung Kwan O, which is currently undergoing renovation and improvement work at an estimated cost of HK$20million.
“I still care about the development of sports in Hong Kong, but we can always provide support at different paces,” said Wong, who won world men’s scratch gold in 2007. “What I can do is more about education.
“I can promote cycling at schools and provide various help to [even grass-roots] riders with different needs.”
Again, individuals’ own endeavours were vital, he argued.
“I’ll form my own team and if they are capable, I may even send them to compete in Europe,” Wong said.
“The route I am after requires no government resources and I hope to achieve my ideas or goals in a business model. This is what a lot of countries, like Japan and South Korea, have been doing, and we can learn from them.
“Cycling is relatively popular in Hong Kong. I hope I can promote the sport more and help the entire Hong Kong cycling culture.”
