Hong Kong cyclist overcomes racing fears to win grand prix medal, targets Olympics
Yvonne Ching shrugs off National Games disappointment to claim bronze, praises coach for ‘changing my life’
After banishing her fear of keirin racing and teaming up with a coach she says changed her life, Yvonne Ching Yin-shan has targeted a watershed new year for her young career.
Ching claimed an unexpected keirin bronze at last weekend’s New Zealand Grand Prix, as she got back on the bike following a personally disappointing National Games.
“I told myself to have fun … I wasn’t as stressed as before the National Games and just hoped to gain experience,” Ching said.
“Previously, I was scared of racing in keirin because of the physical contact with opponents. The most important thing was that I overcame that fear and was eager to try new things in the race. If I compete with fear, there’s no way I can perform well.”
The 24-year-old only began cycling in 2016 after she was wowed by the grace in adversity of Sarah Lee Wai-sze following the Hongkonger’s race-wrecking crash in the keirin at the same year’s Rio Olympics.
She said her lack of experience on two wheels was ignored by past coaches who would measure her efforts against contemporaries such as now four-time National Games gold medallist Ceci Lee Sze-wing.