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With determination against the lockdown – and to the Olympics
STORY: When all the pools close, he just plows through the sea. That’s what Jody Lee from Hong Kong thought. No sooner said than done, because the 15-year-old dreams of nothing less than starting at the Summer Olympics in Paris in two years’ time. And the current corona restrictions should not put a spanner in the works. The pools have been closed since January due to the pandemic. Despite the wind and waves, the young swimmer continues to train. “I was close to my peak, training hard and doing quite well in competitions. When Covid came it became difficult, all the pools were closed. I couldn’t do anything anymore, so I’m going for alternatives like the sea.” Competitions are because of the With lockdowns currently suspended, Jody Lee is unsure where he would be in relation to the competition right now. His trainer is hoping for continued motivation. “To think that Jody has now missed 13.5 months since starting in January 2020, it’s very detrimental to his swimming career, it’s important to keep up the pressure and get back what he’s lost in the months without pool training.” What the aspiring athlete doesn’t seem to lose is his hope of eventually getting back up against the odds to claim international, i.e. even Olympic sports parquet. Dry runs are part of it, as is swimming in the ocean. He always carries one word with him that will hopefully carry him to his goal, says Jody Lee. And that means “determination”.
The butterfly style is one of the strengths of 15-year-old swimmer Jody Lee from Hong Kong, who wants to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 – slowed down by corona lockdowns, he trains in the sea without further ado.