Hong Kong windsurfers- 'motivated, fit, and ready'
by Guy Nowelll, Sail-World Asia on 20 Jul 2008
Chan King Yin, HKWA Press Conference 18 July 08. Guy Nowell
http://www.guynowell.com
Hong Kong’s windsurfers, Chan Wai Kei and Chan King Yin, departed for Qingdao and the Olympic Regatta today.
A press conference on Friday gave the media a chance to meet the athletes and wish them well in their performance next month. Windsurfing is the only discipline in which Hong Kong has ever won an Olympic gold medal (Lee Lai Shan, Atlanta, 1996), so these two really are carrying a lot of national expectations.
National Coach Rene Appel pointed out that the Olympic campaign didn’t begin just yesterday… 'training for this event has taken place over the last three years,' he explained. 'The last several months have been a culmination of a great deal of hard work that has included top international events in Holland, Thailand and Australia.' Both competitors took part in the Asian Games in Doha last year, with Chan King Yin bringing home a gold medal in the Men’s IMCO Lightweight class and Chan Wai Kei winning silver in the Women’s division.
'We should have been in Qingdao for the last 6-8 weeks,' added Appel, 'but there’s been a pretty serious problem there with algae, and the the race course area has been beset by thick fog for a lot of the time. So training has continued in Hong Kong instead.'
However, the Hong Kong athletes are now on their way. 'We need as much time on the water in Qingdao as possible,' said Chan Wai Kei. 'We need to familiarise ourselves with the wind and currents in the racing area as much as possible.’
Conditions on the Olympic racecourse are expected to be light and shifty winds and often strong tidal currents. A tough call. 'But they are ready,' said Appel. 'We have used the extra time in Hong Kong very productively, and I would especially like to thank the Hong Kong Sports Institute for their input in the areas of sports psychology and mental preparation.'
'Our athletes are motivated, fit, and ready. All we can do now is wish them well.'
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/46682
