Wong Kam-po

Wong Kam-po

Personal information
Full name	Wong Kam-po
Born	(1973-03-13) 13 March 1973 (age 48) British Hong Kong
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Team information
Discipline	Track, road
Role	Coach
Professional teams
2000-2003	Telekom Malaysia
2003-2004	Marco Polo Cycling Team
2005-2006
2006
2007	Hong Kong Pro Cycling Team
Major wins
World 15 km Scratch race champion (2007)
show Medal record Representing  Hong Kong Men's track cycling World Championships 2007 Palma de Mallorca Men's Scratch 15 km Asian Games 2002 Busan Madison 2010 Guangzhou Points race Men's road bicycle racing Asian Games 1998 Bangkok Individual Road Race 2006 Doha Individual Road Race 2010 Guangzhou Individual Road Race 2002 Busan Individual Road Race

Wong Kam-po SBS BBS MH (Chinese: 黃金寶; Jyutping: wong⁴ gam¹ bou², born 13 March 1973) is a Hong Kong racing cyclist. A specialist in road bicycle racing, at age 34 he became a track cycling world champion in the scratch race of the 2007 World Championships, which was not his specialty. He is also a three time Asian Games champion in individual road race (1998, 2006, 2010). He became the second sports icon of Hong Kong, after the 1996 Olympic gold medalist Lee Lai-shan. He is now a coach in the Hong Kong team.

Biography[]

Early career and Asian Game gold medalist[]

Wong Kam-po joined the Hong Kong cycling team in 1990. He quit the team after allegedly fighting with a teammate. After meeting his current coach  [zh] (Chinese: 沈金康), he rejoined the team and began a successful career, winning golds in the National Games of China (1997 & 2001) and the Asian Games (1998, 2006, 2010). His 1997 win of the Philippine Marlboro Tour was the only championship by a non-Filipino in the event.^{[1][2][citation needed]}

In 1992, he was banned from international races for one year for deserting the trouble-plagued 1992 pre-Olympic training squad in France, in support of his coach who was in dispute with the Hong Kong Cycling Association over wages. Wong returned to racing in the opening race of the 1993-94 season.^[3] He won his third Asian Games Gold Medal in Guangzhou.

2007 World Champion in scratch race[]

A specialist in road bicycle racing, at age 34 he became a track cycling world champion in the scratch race of the 2007 World Championships, which is not his specialty.^[4] In the race, he overtook the lead pack when there were 9 laps remaining and he crossed the finishing line at roughly 17 minutes 43 seconds. He earned the right to wear the Rainbow Jersey for the year 2007-08.

2008 and 2012 Olympics[]

Wong performed well at the 2007 UCI B World Championships road race, with a 4th-place finish. He qualified for the track cycling points race of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and finished at the 15th out of 23 cyclists. He is the flag bearer for Hong Kong.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Wong Kam-Po finished 37th in the Men's road race. His time of 5 hours, 46 minutes and 37 seconds was just 40 seconds off the winner Alexander Vinokurov.^[5]

As a sports icon[]

In 2007 he became the first HongKonger World Champion cyclist and thereby became the second sports icon of Hong Kong, after the 1996 Olympic gold medalist Lee Lai-shan. On 29 June 2007, Hu Jintao, the President of China, visited Hong Kong and met Wong. President Hu commented, "you brought glory for Hong Kong and for your country. You are a darling more precious than gold." (Chinese: 你是比黃金還珍貴的寶貝) President Hu's remarks became a viral wordplay on Wong Kam-po's name, as Po means darling and Wong Kam means gold.^[6]

After Wong Kam-Po won his third Asian Games Gold Medal in Guangzhou, Hong Kong's Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing said, "I would like to pay my particular tribute to our cyclist Wong Kam-po who has won three gold, one silver and one bronze, including the gold medal grabbed today, during his various performances at the Asian Games. He epitomises Hong Kong people's determination and perseverance. This is legendary."^[7]

Wong was the first Hong Kong rider to gain Category One status in Europe.^[3]

2023 Asian Games bid[]

Wong Kam-po is a supporter of Hong Kong's 2023 Asian Games bid. On 29 November 2010, speaking at the Legislative Council Home Affairs Panel special meeting on the proposed hosting of the 2023 Asian Games, Wong Kam-po said political parties' resistance to the proposal broke his heart. He said Hong Kong needs the spirit of sport, urging legislators to view the issue from a long-term and global perspective.^[8]

Palmarès[]

2009 National Games assault incident[]

In the week of 16 October, Wong Kam-po was preparing for the 11th National Games in Shandong.^[10] In preparing for the event, Wong and his team were 10 minutes early, and the security guards did not let them enter the venue.^[11] The team was then assaulted by the security.^[10] Cyclist Wong Kam-po was pushed down to the floor by the guards.^[10] Hong Kong Sports Institute coach Zhang Pak-ming (張百鳴) was surrounded by four security guards and beaten.^[10] His leg was injured. A threat was also made to destroy the HK team's car.^[10] The incident was reported to the police, after which they were allowed to enter the venue. President of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, Timothy Fok, expressed concern about the case.^[10]

See also[]

• Kwok Ho Ting, another World Champion track cyclist from Hong Kong
• Wai Sze Lee, Hong Kong track racing cyclist

References[]

External links[]

• Profile at doha-2006.com
• Profile at cyclingnews.com
• Profile at Hong Kong Olympic Committee
• Cyclingnews.com interview 2007

Summer Olympics
Preceded by Sherry Tsai	Flagbearer for  Hong Kong Beijing 2008	Succeeded by Lee Wai-sze