Lee Wai Sze

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Lee.
Wai Sze Lee

Personal information
Born (1987-05-12) 12 May 1987[1]
Kowloon, British Hong Kong
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)[1]
Weight 54 kg (119 lb)[1]
Team information
Current team  Hong Kong
Discipline Track
Role Rider
Rider type Sprinter
Major wins
Time trial 500 m, 2010 Asian Games
Keirin, 2014 Asian Games
Keirin, 2012 Olympic Games
Keirin, 2012–2013 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics
Sprint, 2012–2013 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics
Time trial 500m, 2013 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
Infobox last updated on
23 February 2013

Lee Wai Sze (Chinese: 李慧詩; Jyutping: lei5 wai3 si1; born 12 May 1987) MH,[2] also known as Sarah Lee, is a Hong Kong professional racing cyclist. She specialises in track cycling especially as a sprinter.[1]

She is best known for winning the bronze medal in women's keirin at the 2012 London Olympics, which is Hong Kong's first-ever Olympics medal in cycling.

Early Years

Lee was born on 17 May 1987 in Kowloon, Hong Kong.[1] She grew up in Ngau Tau Kok in relative poverty and she shared a 200 square feet council flat with her parents and two older siblings.[3] Lee went to the local Leung Shek Chee College and the Bishop Paschang Catholic School.[4] Although born with anemia,[5] Lee represented her school in athletics in 100 and 400 metre dash.[6][7] At Form 3, her school recommended her to the Hong Kong Sports Institute and her talent was spotted by the Hong Kong Cycling Association.[6][7] Lee became a full-time athlete in 2004.[6][7] Initially trained as a road cyclist, Lee was in danger of bowing out of cycling after a serious accident in 2009 as she swerved to avoid a stray dog during training, where she suffered a broken left scaphoid bone.[8] Lee is coached by Jinkang Shen,[1] who has also coached other successful Hong Kong cyclist including Kam-Po Wong.[9]

Career

2010 Asian Games

Lee captured the attention of Hong Kong when she won gold at the 500 meter time trial track cycling event at the 2010 Asian Games,[10] in which she broke the Asian Record in winning the championship with a time of 33.945 s.[11] Lee also won a bronze in the sprint event.[12] In December 2010, Lee improved her Asian Record in 500 meter time trial with a time of 33.939 s in the 2010 Melbourne Track Cycling World Cup.[13] Lee's performance has impressed the cycling hierarchy, and she received the Hong Kong Potential Sports Stars Awards for 2010.[14] She has also received the Medal of Honour from the Hong Kong Government in 2011 for her outstanding achievements in international cycling competitions.[2]

2012 Track Cycling World Cup

In February 2012 at the 2012 London Track Cycling World Cup, Lee upset Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton to win a bronze medal in the sprint event at the London Velodrome. She beat Pendleton 2–1 after losing to eventual champion Guo Shuang of China in the semi-finals.[15] Lee also won a silver in the keirin final. The Union Cycliste Internationale described 24-year-old Lee as "a late revelation in the sprint events" after she claimed her second medal.[16]

2012 Summer Olympics

Lee was chosen as the flag bearer of the Hong Kong Olympic Representatives for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[17][18] She won the bronze medal in women's keirin.[19] Lee's bronze medal feat handed Hong Kong their first ever Olympic medal in cycling, and only their third overall.[20][21] Lee also participated in the women's sprint event although she did not progress through the 1/8 Finals after losing to Cuba's Lisandra Guerra. Lee eventually finished at the 10th place.[22] Lee received HK$ 750k from the Hang Seng Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme for her achievement in the Games.[23] In an interview with Ming Pao, Lee said she hoped her achievement in the London Olympics can inspire a new generation of Hong Kong athletes for the 2016 Olympic Games.[24]

2013 Track Cycling World Cup

After the Olympics, Lee had a perfect start in the 2012–13 World Cup opening series with a gold medal in the women's sprint in Cali, Colombia, which is her first victory in a World Cup event.[25] This is followed by a bronze in women's keirin in the second leg, which was held in Glasgow, Scotland.[26] Lee won her first medal in 2013 by coming third in the women's sprint event in the third leg of the 2012–13 World Cup series.[27]

2013 UCI World Track Championships

In February 2013, Lee carried on her good form and won gold in the women's 500m time-trial at the World Track Championships in Belarus.[28][29] After the gold, Lee beat Guo Shuang of China in Women's Sprint and won a bronze medal, securing her second medal in Minsk.

Personal life

Lee's idol is Great Britain's six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy.[30]

Lee is a Baptist Christian.[31] In 2009, she enrolled on a distance-learning course to study theology with the New York Theological Education Center Chinese Online School of Theology.[32][33]

Palmarès

2009
Asian Cycling Championships
2nd 500 m Time trial
ACC Track Asia Cup
1st Keirin, Bangkok[34]
1st 500 m Time trial
1st Team Sprint (with Meng Zhao Juan)
1st Sprint
2010
2009–2010 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics
3rd Keirin, Beijing
Asian Games
1st 500 m Time trial
3rd Sprint
Asian Cycling Championships
2nd 500 m Time trial
3rd Sprint
3rd Team Sprint (with Meng Zhao Juan)
ACC Track Asia Cup
1st 500 m Time trial, Hakodate
1st Sprint, Hakodate
2nd Team Sprint (with Meng Zhao Juan), Hakodate
2nd Keirin, Hakodate
1st 500 m Time trial, Kuala Lumpur
2nd Sprint, Kuala Lumpur
2nd Keirin, Kuala Lumpur
1st 500 m Time trial, Bangkok
2nd Sprint, Bangkok
2nd Keirin, Bangkok
2nd Team Sprint (with Meng Zhao Juan), Bangkok
2011
2010–2011 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics
3rd 500 m Time trial,, Melbourne
Asian Cycling Championships
1st 500 m Time trial
3rd Sprint
3rd Team Sprint (with Meng Zhao Juan)
ACC Track Asia Cup
1st Sprint, Bangkok[35]
1st Team Sprint, Bangkok (with Meng Zhao Juan)[35]
1st Sprint, Kuala Lumpur[36]
1st Keirin, Kuala Lumpur[36]
1st 500 m Time trial, Kuala Lumpur[36]
1st Team Sprint (with Wang Xiao Fei), Kuala Lumpur[36]
All China National Track Cycling Championships
3rd Sprint[37]
2nd 500 m Time trial[37]
2010–11 UCI Track Cycling World Ranking
1st 500 m Time trial
2012
Olympic Games
3rd Keirin
2011–2012 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics
2nd Keirin, London
3rd Sprint, London
Asian Cycling Championships
1st 500 m Time trial
1st Sprint
3rd Keirin
All China National Track Cycling Championships
2nd Keirin
2nd 500 m Time trial
3rd Sprint
UCI Track Cycling World Ranking
1st Sprint
2013
UCI Track World Championships
1st 500 m time trial
3rd Sprint
2012–2013 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics
1st Sprint, Cali
3rd Keirin, Glasgow
3rd Sprint, Aguascalientes
Overall 1st Keirin
Overall 1st Sprint
Asian Cycling Championships
1st 500 m Time trial
1st Keirin
UCI Track Cycling World Ranking
1st Time trial
1st Keirin

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Wai Sze Lee". Athlete overview. LOCOG. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  2. 1 2 "2011 Honours List". Press Releases. Government of Hong Kong. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  3. 牛下女車神 寧用銅牌換親切感. 要聞 (in Chinese). Sharp Daily. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  4. 李慧詩收起眼淚渴望被愛. The Sun. 體育 (in Chinese). 15 June 2011. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  5. "Perfect model for our can-do spirit". The Standard. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  6. 1 2 3 母校老師對李慧詩獲獎感驕傲. 港聞 (in Chinese). Sing Tao Daily. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  7. 1 2 3 母校老師形容李慧詩活潑開朗拼勁十足. 港聞 (in Chinese). RTHK. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  8. 沈金康曾勸李慧詩退役. Apple Daily. 體育 (in Chinese). 5 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  9. "Kam-Po Wong". Athlete overview. LOCOG. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  10. "Pots of gold". The Standard. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  11. "SHA congratulates Lee Wai Sze for winning first AG Gold". Press Releases. Government of Hong Kong. 13 November 2010. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  12. 李慧詩亞運摘一金一銅稱喜出望外. 港聞 (in Chinese). RTHK. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  13. "Women's 500 Metres Time Trial Results" (PDF). www.tissottiming.com. 4 December 2010. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  14. "Bank of China Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards". Olympic Committee of Hong Kong. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  15. "Olympic promise". The Standard. 20 February 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  16. "Lee Wai-sze 'a revelation' at London Games test". Sports. South China Morning Post. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  17. "London 2012 Opening Ceremony – Flag Bearers" (PDF). Games London 2012. IOC. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  18. "HK Cyclist Lee Wai Sze Selected as Flag Bearer for Olympics". Sports. All-China Women's Federation. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  19. "Women's Keirin Results". Sport Olympics. BBC. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  20. "Lee makes cycling history for Hong Kong". Yahoo!7 News. Yahoo!7. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  21. "Victoria Pendleton wins gold in the Olympics keirin". BBC Sport – Olympics. 2012-08-03. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  22. "Women's Sprint Results". Sport Olympics. BBC. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  23. "Bronze Medallist Lee Wai-Sze receives HK$750,000 under Heng Seng Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme" (PDF). Press Release. Hang Seng Bank. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
  24. Ming Pao (10 August 2012). 女車神李慧詩: 香港人不是垃圾. 港聞 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  25. Chan, Kin-Wa (14 October 2012). "Lee Wai-sze sprints to World Cup gold". South China Morning Post.
  26. "Women's Keirin / Keirin femmes Results and Final Classification / Résultats et classement final". UCI Track Cycling. 18 November 2012.
  27. "Women's Sprint / Vitesse femmes Results and Final Classification / Résultats et classement final". UCI Track Cycling. 18 January 2013.
  28. "World Track Cycling: Becky James sprints to time trial bronze". BBC. 21 February 2013.
  29. "Cycling results". BBC. 21 February 2013.
  30. Lee aiming high after seeing Olympic buildup is on track The Standard. 22 February 2012.
  31. 多謝教練,多謝上帝 奧運銅牌李慧詩:讀《聖經》令我冷靜下來. 新聞 (in Chinese). 可圈可點 Upwill. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  32. 香港驕傲 李慧詩信可摘金. 港聞 (in Chinese). Sina Hong Kong. 5 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  33. 李慧詩:向著標竿直「踩」. 關顧小組加油站 (in Chinese). New York Theological Education Center. 23 May 2011. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  34. "Track". Events. Asian Cycling Confederation. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
  35. 1 2 "Wai Sze Lee". Results. Cycling Archives. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  36. 1 2 3 4 "ACC TRACK ASIA CUP – Final Round". Events and Results. Malaysian National Cycling Federation. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
  37. 1 2 "All China National Track Cycling Championships / 綜合成績全國場地單車錦標錦標賽" (PDF). 綜合成績 (in Chinese). Hong Kong Cycling Association. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
Summer Olympics
Preceded by
Wong Kam-po
Flagbearer for  Hong Kong
London 2012
Succeeded by
TBD
Awards
Preceded by
Kwong Yuk Ming
Li Tsz Hei
Kong Man-Yi Yvette
Chan Tsz Ka Kaka
Hong Kong Hong Kong Potential Sports Stars Awards
2010
With: Chan Hau Wah Brenda
Lee Tsun Sang
Chun Hing Chan
Succeeded by
Cheung Ngan Yi
Yu Ching Ching
Wong Chin To
Cheng Hiu Lam
Lau In Kwan
Lok Kwan Hoi
Perry Wong
Lau Tsz Hong
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