Chatting With Vanessa Mimi Wong, Hong Kong's No.1 International Ranked Inline Skater
For 26 years, Vanessa “Mimi” Wong has donned her inline skating shoes and raced around Causeway Bay’s Victoria Park skating rink, in her steadfast commitment to go faster in skating competitions across the world.
The 29-year-old Hong Konger is known by her friends and athlete palls as “Mimi,” but to the international skating community, she is seen as Hong Kong’s number one inline roller skater, Asia’s number five, and the world’s tenth.
Her illustrious athletic career representing the Bauhinia city has brought her to four continents competing in the World Roller Speed Skating Championships and Asian Roller Speed Skating Championships since 2007.
The Beat Asia sat down with Vanessa in her home neighbourhood in Tin Hau to discuss her skating past, international racing experiences, the future of her athletic career, and what she loves about zooming on eight wheels.
So, tell me Vanessa, how did you begin skating?
I started when I was three and a half years old. I have a sister and she started skating when she was nine. When I was a kid, I was like “ooh that looks fun,” and I wanted to try it. I love everything fun, and you can go [super] fast.
I grew up in Tin Hau and I could come down to the skating rink [in Victoria Park] to skate anytime I wanted to.
When did you start to see skating as a sport you wanted to do?
I would travel with my coach to the [Causeway Bay] track and train three times a week starting at the age of five. I had started as a figure skater. When I was 11 years old, I entered the Hong Kong inline skating team [with the Hong Kong Federation of Roller Sports].
I was [training] figure skating three times a week and speed skating once. I was competing [in Hong Kong Open competitions] for fun, because, you know, kids like to win. I was trying to win since I was five. I never thought of being an athlete. That was not my mentality, I just loved it.
What do you love about figure skating? Speed skating?
I love roller figure skating because I love the jumps, jumping two and a half [vertical spins], it’s just too much fun. However, speed [skating] is not that subjective [with the grading and judging] as figure skating, it is more objective. It is simply beating times. Competing with figure skating, I've gotten bad marks when I thought I was doing well, and then good marks when I have messed up - it is confusing.
What changed when you saw the potential to becoming an inline skater athlete?
I’ve always [skated] for fun and I love to win. However, I was around 15 years old when I realised that competing is something that I can do. I switched to speed [skating] as that would give me a future [being an athlete] and I can train with [male athletes].
Besides [studying at Hotung Secondary] school, I just thought skating was a part of my life. Every summer I can travel abroad and compete in international competitions. Every time I race, there was something that reminded me I could do better. I could go again next year and that’s how the cycle begun [of becoming a student and then professional athlete].
What is like training in Hong Kong?
Here in Hong Kong, we don’t have a standard track [of 200 metres in length]. [Tin Hau’s] is only 100 meteres! When I was in high school, I would travel to Taiwan to compete in larger regional Asian competitions and train with professional. I would go to Taiwan in May to train in Kaohsiung and compete internationally overseas in July and August.
What happened with your skating career when you began university?
I started studying at City University Hong Kong (CUHK) in 2010. I had more time to train in the mornings and before classes. I balanced my high standards and assignments for studying.
I always wanted to travel internationally to explore the world. In 2013, I travelled to Chile Santiago and learn from the best of the best in the skating world. I was learning Spanish as a major at CUHK and hone in on my skills.
What was your first race like internationally?
One of the largest international competitions I took part in was the 2017 Summer Universiade in Taipei, Taiwan. I managed to get in the top three spots in the roller sports finalist. My teammates didn’t think I was qualified to be there as the only speed skater, however, that was a motivator for me to do better.
In Taipei, I broke my personal best in the long-distance race during the heats and the finals. I was so nervous, I was even interviewed and shown on the news by TVB!
In the same year, I participated in the World Games in [Wrocław], Poland and the World Championships in [Nanjing], China. So, 2017 was a really big year for me.
What happened next for your athletic career abroad? What was your experience at your next chance in 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia?
I really thought the Asian Games [in 2018] was going to be my last game. But then I crashed in the women’s 20,000 metre elimination speed skating race. After that, I thought why not go for another four years and [compete in Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games]. I had graduated [in 2016] from university, I just want to see how far I can go.
In November 2021, I travelled to Columbia to participate in the [Inline Speed Skating] World Championships to try and get a qualification place for the [2022] World Games [in Birmingham, USA].
So, your make or break is the U.S. and Hangzhou competitions? What made you continue your athletic career if you did well in these competitions?
It is really hard work honestly. Placing top three in China would signal enough for me to continue. Even for Asia it’s tough. The Taiwanese, Korean and Chinese [inline skaters] place top five in the world. They are really good! There is so much pressure yet honour to be on the same podium as these racers.
What is it like representing Hong Kong?
When I was a kid, I was representing Hong Kong for a chance to compete [in competitions]. Ever since the [Tokyo 2020 Olympics], I feel like everyone is proud of you if you’re from Hong Kong and I want to be like [Siobhan Haughey, Cheung Ka Long, Lee Wai Sze). That is the motivation for me, and I am really proud of being a part of the Hong Kong team.
What are you doing for training nowadays under current COVID-19 restrictions?
I skate three to four times a week currently. I used to skate more but then I realised I am getting old and recover slower. I now focus on quality training and gym twice a week. I bike at home too!
When I trained in Taiwan from 15, that was a whole other level. We would wake up at 5 AM to begin training, have breakfast at 7 AM, do weight training after, lunch, and then train again once in afternoon and then at night. It was tough but I was improving a lot.
What do you love and hate about skating?
I love the speed, the chance to meet people from a lot of places and realise that the world is not just English and Chinese, but also Spanish. The Colombians (leading champions in inline roller skating) are insanely good at skating and I wanted to know about what they were shouting during races.
[Skating] is a healthy sport, good for coordination and physical fitness. I love competing and I like to win. It motivates me.
But what I hate is that the sport is not a part of the Olympics. Skateboarding was included in the [2024 Olympics in Paris] but not inline skating, so we were all really bummed by that. Hong Kong is sadly not sports-oriented, and we don’t have a proper track. It is so hard to compete. So, Taiwan became my second home to train.
What are you looking for the future in skating?
I want more people to know about skating and be included as a sport in the Olympics!
Besides skating, you've got quite a following on Instagram. Tell me more about that! What are you hoping to do online and for your content?
What I try to do is send out positive thoughts and vibes to help brighten up someone's day. Especially with COVID right now, I want to make people happier. Secondly, I want people to know more about the competitions, training, culture, and sport of skating. I also want to use my platform to spread the word about how to make the planet a healthier and better place.
Thank you for sitting with me today and chatting, Vanessa!
You too!
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