(8 Aug 1996) Mandarin/Eng/Nat
Hong Kong's first and only gold medal winner has returned to the colony to a hero's welcome.
World champion windsurfer Lee Lai Shan was accompanied by her coach and Olympic teammates.
But no one was more proud than her mother.
Bolting through the door and into the waiting arms of her mother, Hong Kong's Olympic hero Lee Lai Shan started her victory tour.
Scores of well-wishers met her at Kai Tak airport after a day long journey home from Atlanta.
Lee won her medal off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, more than a week ago.
Since then she's become the territory's biggest celebrity by the time she came back.
Lee said she was looking forward to the Asian games.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"In the victory ceremony when I was looking at the Hong Kong flag, that was my most important memory."
SUPER CAPTION: Lee Lai Shan, Olympic Windsurfing Champion
The Democratic Party in Hong Kong has tried to co-opt her victory.
But Lee says she wants to stay out of politics, although she did suggest that local athletes could do with more support.
SOUNDBITE: (Cantonese)
"I think Hong Kong should pay more attention to local sports players, because so many people have been working hard for Hong Kong. I hope they will pay more attention to sports here."
SUPER CAPTION: Lee Lai-Shan, Olympic Windsurfing Champion
Dozens of well-wishers and supporters from her home-island of Cheung Chau greeted Lee outside the airport.
The villagers gathered to welcome Hong Kong's first Olympic gold-medalist back to the territory.
Lee Lai-shan was accompanied by teammates and her mother.
A tearful "San San" as she's known here, also removed her gold medal from around her neck to symbolize that the medal also belonged to Hong Kong.
Hong Kong's many corporations are keen to cash in on Lee's achievement.
Cathay Pacific will give her free air travel for five years. But they say they backed her before she became a star.
SOUNDBITE: (Cantonese)
"Cathay Pacific is a little different from the other companies because we've always been sponsoring her for several years. The relationship is well established. Therefore this prize is supporting "her" more than her personal achievement."
SUPER CAPTION: Karen Lau, Cathay Pacific Airlines
There have even been suggestions that Lee should head up Hong Kong's America's Cup yacht race effort in 1999.
The entry will come from the Aberdeen Boating Club, the only new club announced for the next Cup.
However, her success at windsurfing is not likely to lead to an important role.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"There is no way that she would be in a position where she would be something like the helm or a tactician or even a main sheet trimmer. She obviously has the skills of a sailor from her windsurfing, but windsurfing is a totally different sport to match racing 60 foot boats."
SUPER CAPTION: Bob Johnson, Commodore, Aberdeen Boating Club
Lee however says she hasn't considered yet involving herself in such an ambitious venture.
For now she's happy to rest on her laurels.
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