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In part 1 of this series with Olympic Champion Lily Xu titled: A sailor’s heartbeat, Lily shared with us brought us with her to take a deep dive into the highs and lows of her incredible career. Reflecting on her passion for sailing, and the ‘freedom and romance’ that this sport gave and still continues to give her, she explained to us how sailing and sport became a way for her to escape her limitations on land, such as her hearing and visibility impairments, and the grueling experience of training as a part of China’s national sailing team from just the tender age of 10.

She emphasized to us the importance of loving what we do, and how the absence of them can really show us how much we truly cherish their presence in our lives, as opposed to taking it for granted. Lily also shared insights on the mental strategies she employed to handle high-pressure situations, such as imagining herself as an actress performing on a global stage. This mindset helped her maintain composure during significant races, like the medal race at the London 2012 Olympics, where she would go on to capture the gold medal as well.

Nonetheless, when faced with the task of making history, Lily is still faced with the many challenges and sacrifices she has had to make. She acknowledges the pressure of wanting to achieve that best that she can, and the guilt that haunts her when she is unable to give back to her parents, coaches and supporters.

With the weight of the world on her shoulders, and the possibility of Asia’s first ever dinghy olympic sailing gold in her hands, how did she combat those incredible mental and emotional pressures and ultimately, rise to the top?

Join us in this episode as we set sail into her incredible journey, and find out what truly lies behind the heart and mind of Olympic Champion, pioneer, and international sensation - Xu Lijia.

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As Asia’s only ever dinghy sailing gold medallist at the Olympic Games, China’s Golden Girl Xu Lijia, or as many of us may better know her, Lily Xu is nothing short of an icon, legend and inspiration. As the 2012 Rolex Female World Sailor of the year, multi-time world champion, and flag bearer for China at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games, her legacy and her story as a pioneer is one that is not short of its many challenges and setbacks.

From the tender age of ten, Lily embarked on an odyssey that would define her life and career - navigating the waters of separation from her parents, enrolling in the gruelling Chinese national training programme as a national talent to international superstar, and shouldering the weight of the world on her shoulders as she sailed in front of a roaring home crowd at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, taking home a bronze medal.

Nevertheless, even in the face of debilitating injury and physical disability, it is clear that despite it all, Lily has made the impossible possible, risen high above all that was against her with mental and emotional strength like no other, and truly carved her place into not simply the history of sailing, but of sport itself.

Join us in this episode as we set sail into her incredible journey, and find out what truly lies behind the heart and mind of Olympic Champion, pioneer, and international sensation - Xu Lijia.

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Joining us for our very first episode today is none other than Team Hong Kong, China’s very own representative at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games , Nicholas Halliday! In just a few days, Nick will be setting sail in Olympic waters in Marseille and compete at his maiden Olympics after capturing gold at the Asian Championships in 2023, flying the flag for Hong Kong in the ILCA 7 Class for the first time in 28 years.

From his first days in the backyard waters of Sai Kung, a star-studded youth career as European Champion and 4th place at the World Championships and competing at 2 Asian Games, Nick is now making his debut on the World's biggest stage as living proof of not just every sailor, but every athlete's dream.

Nick's journey so far has been nothing short of inspiring, and it is undoubtable that a world-class accomplishment would not be possible without world-class energy, passion and perseverance.

A groundbreaking feat like no other, Nick has paved the way for a new era for Hong Kong sailing and the Olympics are only the beginning of his story that is sure to be, if not already, a historic one. Let’s cheer for Nick and our other Hong Kong athletes at the games and listen to the story of the incredible journey that has brought him to where he is today!