Wong Kam-po
Quick Facts
Biography
Wong Kam-po SBS BBS MH (Chinese: 黃金寶; pinyin: Huáng Jīnbǎo; Jyutping: wong4 gam1 bou2, born 13 March 1973 in Hong Kong) in Shatin, Hong Kong, is a world champion racing cyclist. After retiring from professional cycling, he is now a coach in the Hong Kong team.
Biography
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 Shen Jiang-Kong (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.
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 Chow Tat-ming 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.
Wong Kam-po became the first Hong Kong Chinese World Champion cyclist by winning the 15 km-scratch in 2007 UCI Track World Championships. He earned the right to wear the Rainbow Jersey for the year 2007-08. Wong performed well at the 2007 UCI B World Championships road race, with a 4th-place finish, to win an invitation to the 2008 Summer Olympics. He is the flag bearer for Hong Kong.
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."
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.
Wong was the first Hong Kong rider to gain Category One status in Europe.
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.
Palmarès
2009 National Games assault incident
In the week of 16 October, Wong Kam-po was preparing for the 11th National Games in Shandong. In preparing for the event, Wong and his team were 10 minutes early, and the security guards did not let them enter the venue. The team was then assaulted by the security. Cyclist Wong Kam-po was pushed down to the floor by the guards. Hong Kong Sports Institute coach Zhang Pak-ming (張百鳴) was surrounded by four security guards and beaten. His leg was injured. A threat was also made to destroy the HK team's car. 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.