HONG KONG: Hong Kong has won its first gold medal at the 2009 Universiade World Student Games in Belgrade, Serbia, yesterday.

Hannah Wilson, 20, won the 100-meter women's freestyle in 54.35 seconds, breaking the Universiade record by 0.01 seconds.

Wilson said she was excited and surprised over her victory. She didn't believe her time was that fast.

Wilson represented the SAR at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, and Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. Before the Beijing Olympics, she won a bronze medal at the 2006 Asian Games in the women's 4X100m freestyle relay.

Hong Kong student delegation head coach Patrick Chan Ping-cheung said Wilson's strength and determination gave her a winning edge.

"It is a tough game. Winning the game is not easy, especially in swimming event which is highly competitive," he said. "But she managed to break the record."

Wilson's mother said she was filled with pride in her daughter.

Prior to the gold medal, Wilson had broken the Hong Kong record in the 50m butterfly in Serbia with a time of 26.66 seconds in the semi-finals. She could do no better than sixth place in the final.

Wilson is currently studying at the University of California, Berkeley, after attending the Island School in Hong Kong, where she was born.

Wilson became the first Hong Kong woman to swim the 100-meter butterfly in under one minute when she finished second in the heats at last year's Olympics with 59.35 seconds. She gave up her British citizenship in order to be able to represent Hong Kong in the Olympics.

She will receive HK$250,000 in awards from the Hong Kong Sports Institute.

She will also participate in the East Asian Games in Hong Kong in December.

China Daily and Agencies

(HK Edition 07/09/2009 page1)