Hong Kong to host cycling's world track championships in to mark 20th anniversary of handover in 2017
Bauhinia’s golden girl secures place in today’s last eight round of races, but faces nemesis Lin Junhong of China
Good news comes in twos for Hong Kong. Golden girl Sarah Lee Wai-sze reached Sunday’s quarter-finals of the women’s sprint in London moments before Hong Kong was declared as hosts of the 2017 World Track Cycling Championships.
It will be only the second time the showpiece event has been hosted in Asia, following Maebashi in Japan in 1990.
“I am delighted that the 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships will be held in Hong Kong,” UCI president Brian Cookson said at a news conference at the London velodrome, the venue of this year’s championships.
This is a great news for cycling not only for Hong Kong, but also our Asia counterparts
“The fact that the event is going to Asia for the second time marks an important milestone in the further globalisation of track cycling,” Cookson said.
Hong Kong Cycling Association chairman Leung Hung-tak was elated at the news.
“This is a great news for cycling not only for Hong Kong, but also our Asia counterparts,” said Leung.
READ MORE: Mission accomplished: Track Cycling World Championships next for ambitious Hong Kong?
“It will be the second time the world event to be staged in the region after Japan made it in the early ’90s and we understand the world body is also eager to promote track cycling in Asia.