Li Sum-yiu Ends School Career With Three Golds
On.cc · 1 SOURCES1 day ago4 MIN
Summary
Seventeen-year-old Hong Kong swimmer Li Sum-yiu (李芯瑤) won three gold medals on Friday at the Hong Kong and Kowloon Division One inter-school swimming championships, closing her school career on a high note. She took titles in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and the girls' 4x50m freestyle relay, with her relay team setting a new final record of 1 minute 45.13 seconds. Even after that result, Li said she was not fully satisfied with her recent form and wants to reconnect with her “inner child” so she can return to racing with a simpler, more passionate mindset.
Key Points
- Li, 17, competed on Friday, October 23, in the Hong Kong and Kowloon Division One inter-school swimming championships and collected three gold medals.
- Her victories came in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and girls' 4x50m freestyle relay, completing a clean sweep in her final school meet.
- Li said the relay carried special meaning because she could race alongside teammates who had also cheered her from the stands.
- In the 4x50m freestyle relay final, her team clocked 1:45.13, which she described as a record and a “perfect ending” to school competition.
- Li said she had felt somewhat lost since the world championships two years ago, while dealing with physical development and senior secondary studies.
Why It Matters
Li's comments show that even after major results, elite teenage athletes in Hong Kong can still struggle with pressure, changing bodies and academic demands. Her attempt to recover a more instinctive love for swimming offers a window into the mental reset often needed as young local talents move from school sport toward senior international competition.