Hong Kong cycling heroine Jamie Wong has retired the silver medal she won at last month's Guangzhou Asian Games to the trophy cabinet to focus on her new challenge – road races.
The 24-year-old valiantly recovered from a pile-up in the women’s 20km points final at the games to win the medal. The fall fractured her ribs, yet she finished the race and her recovery from the injury has been quick.
She is now in Kunming preparing for February’s Asian Championships road race in Thailand. Before leaving for Yunnan's capital, she told news.gov.hk she was ready to take on the road challenge, as points races will no longer be an Olympic event.
“The distance of road races is longer than points races. On the road, anything can happen and they are things you cannot control. You have to be brave and more aggressive, and of course crashes are likely. In my case, things are even tougher as I am the only female road racer and will not have team-mate support during the race,” she said.
All or nothing
Wong's Guangzhou performance showed she has the courage needed for road racing. Some said she should have quit the race because of the injury, but withdrawing would have negated all the hard work she had done to get to the final.
“I was lying on the track hoping [the crash] would soon finish so I could pick up my bike and race. I was in the top five. If I pulled out I would lose everything,” she said.
“I knew I had hurt my ribs as I had difficulty breathing. The atmosphere was tense but no one dared to ask me to give up. I had spent a year preparing for the Asian Games. I thought about my coach Shen Jinkang and the trainers who have all been very supportive. I did not want to disappoint them.
“I hate to see ‘DNF’ (did not finish) on my result sheet. Therefore I decided to return to the race. I always tell myself, if you don't persist to the final moment, how do you know if the outcome will be a success or failure?”
Back on the bike, Wong stayed calm and ignored the pain. She slowly picked up the pace and took her chance to break through the pack.
It was a huge relief when she crossed the finish line, although the intense pain meant she could barely stand. To stabilise her back to ensure she could receive her medal on the podium, her coach made her a makeshift brace out of a cardboard box and an elastic bandage.
Wong's evident emotion after crossing the finish line continued up until the medal ceremony.
“It was a mixed feeling – all the joyful and difficult memories of the training filled my mind. I was raised by my mother but I wasn’t able to spend too much time with her in the past nine years. I have put in so much time and effort in the event. I finally won an Asian Games silver medal, though it would have been perfect if I won gold.”
Paying tribute
Wong was named the Hero of Asia by a Mainland website, dedicated to the Asian Games athletes.
“The title should go to all Hong Kong athletes. I got the title just because I had a crash. But I am glad Hong Kong athletes attracted more media attention after the crash.”
Wong said a hero must not fear confronting adversity, and be strong enough to take the first step, strive hard and achieve success. Her hero, fellow cyclist Wong Kam-po, is the best example.
“He started when there was very little support and resources. He has worked very hard and produced numerous outstanding results. It is because of his results the Hong Kong cycling team receives more and more attention and resources. Things are much better now.”
The tough training cyclists endure almost saw Jamie Wong quit the sport. Before the 2008 Beijing Olympics she suffered a serious allergic reaction to flower pollens, and two more allergy attacks occurred during training which required hospitalisation. Later that year she broke her ribs in a crash during a race on the Mainland. Exasperated, she told her coach she wanted to give up.
“But coach Shen said if it was only about my physical condition, he would change my training method to suit my condition. A problem had arisen but he did not hesitate to try something new to find a solution. So why shouldn’t I work with him and overcome the problem?”
No longer a man's world
Nicknamed “Iron-blood Rider”, Wong is actually a “girly-girl” and loves make-up. Her make-up kit, with all manner of beauty products like facial masks, is a must-have item in her luggage.
She gives herself manicures before each race and considers her vibrant nail polish her lucky charm. “But I forgot to do it before the Asian Games, that’s why I crashed!”
Not one to shy away from a new challenge, she has enrolled in an online English-language course to resume her education.
“I quit school after three months in Form Four. Now I want to better equip myself. I would like to study marketing or gemology in the future.”
Wong emphasised the sporting spirit is to have the courage to confront challenges. It is a spirit she plans to demonstrate both on the road and in her study.
