World record-breaking rower Chan Chi-fung is still nagged by doubts about his ability – earlier this year he hid in a boathouse in tears during a training camp in Italy for the 2020 Olympic Asia/Oceania qualification.
“The time was running short and the pressure was there as the qualifiers were supposed to start in April,” said the 22-year-old. “I started to question myself. What am I doing? Do I still have a future in the sport?”
Despite owning three Asian junior gold medals, the youngster is still finding his way in the senior ranks against the world’s best rowers.
“The problem is still there, but thanks to the Tokyo Olympics being pushed back, I have more time to deal with it. My confidence is also growing day by day, especially after setting back-to-back indoor rowing machine world records,” said Chan, who is being helped by sports psychologists at the Sports Institute in Fo Tan.
Hong Kong has had a men’s lightweight double sculls team in the Olympics since the 2000 Sydney Games and the former Asian junior champion is groomed to take up the baton.
“We have a long tradition of representation in Olympic rowing and of course I want to continue this tradition in Tokyo,” Chan said.
“We still need to go through internal selection for the Olympic qualifiers and must work hard to earn a place in the team,” he said. “We have just resumed training on Shing Mun River as the pandemic has eased a bit, but the problem is we have heard little about the revamped qualifiers – when and where they will take place.
“It’s going to be my Olympic debut if I can qualify for Tokyo, a dream that every athlete wants to achieve. It’s a bit nerve-racking during this waiting time.”
In July, Chan set a world record of 30 minutes in Concept 2 indoor rowing with slides (men’s lightweight aged 19-29), covering 8,772 metres. And he set another record early this month with 1,312 metres in the four-minute category, surpassing Italian rower Gabriel Soares’ 1,287m.
“The 30-minute challenge focuses on endurance and willpower, while explosive power and reaction, on top of endurance, are required in the shorter, 4-minute challenge,” he said.
“My endurance power has been working very well and with more time allowed for the 2020 Olympics, I can focus on the details of improving my overall strength.”
Coach Sam Wong Chi-wai is pushing the rower to adapt to double sculls as soon as possible.
“Chan has a strong cardiovascular power, but he used to be a single sculler and our focus is now on the lightweight doubles for Olympic qualification. He needs to adapt to the change well.
“Also, he sometimes loses his concentration during competition and therefore his partner needs to get him back in competition mode. He still has a big learning curve to become a competent rower.”
The young sculler took part in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia where he competed in the singles open, with the lightweight spot going to teammate Chiu Hin-chun, who won the silver medal. Chan, however, managed fifth place in the more difficult weight category.
But the two have since worked together, taking the lightweight double sculls gold medal at last year’s Asian Championships and are likely to join forces for the Olympic qualifiers.
“I was racing in the World Cup series in Europe this time last summer in preparation for the world championships,” said Chan. “But at this moment we can only keep training in Fo Tan without knowing when we can compete again.
“I hope we can overcome the pandemic as soon as possible and get back on the water as we look forward to the Tokyo Olympics.”
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