Hong Kong cycling prodigy Choy Hiu-fung quits at 26 as passion fades amid pandemic restrictions
- Choy Hiu-fung becomes latest key member to leave the city’s cycling team, despite the lure of Hangzhou Asian Games
- ‘We went through a tough time over the last couple of years, with no competitions and training confined to China,’ he says
Promising Olympic cyclist Choy Hiu-fung has called it a day at just 26 – despite having a chance to compete at his second Asian Games in Hangzhou next year.
Choy is among Hong Kong’s best road race riders, having made his Olympic debut in Tokyo last year. He also recorded the city’s best performance at the 2018 Asian Games, finishing 18th in Jakarta.
But dealing with the pandemic has changed his appetite towards cycling.
“We went through a tough time over the last couple of years, with no competitions and training confined to China,” Choy, who last competed for Hong Kong in the Tour of Taiwan in October when he finished 18th in the general classification, said.
“As a result, I started losing my passion in cycling. My plan was to finish the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games which has now been postponed to next year and therefore I would consider it’s the right time to move from cycling into other areas.
“I hope the young riders can take up the baton as soon as possible with the help of some senior members and I wish them all good luck in the days to come, especially at the delayed Hangzhou Asian Games which remain Hong Kong’s biggest target.”
