TSAI, Hiu Wai Sherry

Sherry was a late starter in swimming, she learned swimming at 10 years old. Never thought she would become one of the fastest swimmers in Hong Kong and could represent Hong Kong in the Olympic Games.

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Sherry and her brother joined the swimming lessons that was held in the Hong Kong Sports Institute in summer 1993, and was promoted to join the Hong Kong Junior Squad in 1995, which marked the starting point of her 14 years swimming career.  Sherry represented Hong Kong the first time when she was 12, and broke her first Hong Kong record at 13.  

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In 1996, when the famous windsurfer Lee Lai Shan won the first ever Olympic gold medal for Hong Kong, Sherry was deeply inspired. Since then, she was determined to represent Hong Kong to compete in the Olympic Games one day.  

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In 2000, Sherry qualified for the Sydney Olympic Games and it was a dream come true! Nevertheless, it was just the start of her swimming journey. 2001 was a breakthrough year, she held 18 Hong Kong Swimming Records and won a bronze medal in the 2001 East Asian Games. Sherry graduated from Diocesan Girls' School in 2002, and decided to go to the US for College and swimming training. Training in a swimming powerhouse was life changing. In the first two years training in the US, she had a chance to train with former world record holders and Olympic medalists Aaron Peirsol and Jason Lezak.

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In 2004, Sherry not only qualified for the Athens Olympic Games, she was also selected as the flag bearer in the Opening Ceremony.  It was one of the most memorable moments of her life, and she felt so honored.  Sherry studied and trained in the University of California at Berkeley in the same year, and it has widened her horizon. She trained with Natalie Coughlin, whom was an Olympic gold medalist as well as world record holder at that time, and was also the first woman to swim under one minute in 100m backstroke. It was a great opportunity to have the fastest woman as a training partner for the 2008 Olympic Games. Sherry became the captain of the team in her senior year, it was the first time a Chinese swimmer got elected. Sherry competed her third Olympics in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, but that was not the end of her mission, she delayed her 'retirement' plan and swam for another year because Hong Kong was selected as the host city of the 2009 East Asian Games.

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At the 2009 East Asian Games, Sherry won a silver medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay and a bronze medal in the 4x100m medley relay, which was a perfect ending of her swimming career.

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After Sherry retired from her athlete life, she worked as a project officer at the SF&OC, assistant coach at HKSI, newspaper and magazine column writer and a TV Sports Program host. In 2011, Sherry continued her contribution to the Sport and decided to become a full-time Swimming coach. Sherry is currently the Head Coach of Stanford Swim School, and is also coaching the Diocesan Girls' School's Swimming Team and the City University of Hong Kong's Swimming Team.