Cyclist Lee warns Tokyo rivals after winning gold
jakarta — Hong Kong’s track cyclist champion Sarah Lee Waisze has warned her Tokyo 2020 rivals she will “only get better” after winning two gold medals at the Asian Games in Jakarta.
The 31-year-old Lee won the women’s keirin and sprint events to finish off a tremendous week at the velodrome in Indonesia’s capital, where she was also part of the silver-winning sprint team.
Lee — who now has five golds overall at the regional Olympics — said she is feeling stronger than ever. “I am doing good and will only get better in the next two to three years. I am very satisfied with my result at the Asian Games,” Lee said.
“This is the start to my preparations of getting to a medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
“This win is very dear to me but I also hope that I can get an Olympic gold in 2020.”
Lee, who won a keirin bronze at the London 2012 Olympics, was in top form at the continental games and raced to a tournament-record 10.583 seconds in the sprint qualifiers.
She easily got past her opponents in the heats and won the sprint final against South Korea’s Lee Hye-jin in two straight races.
“This is what I expected but you don’t know what happens on the day or in the race. But step by step I can only try my best and that’s what I did,” she said.
“I won two golds in Incheon and now again I did the same. So it’s all heading in the right direction.” Initially trained as a road cyclist, Lee was in danger of bowing out of the sport after a serious accident in 2006 when she swerved to avoid a stray dog during training. —