At the age of 22, many people are still students or have just started working. But Felix Yuen has already had his first taste of 'retirement'. After retiring from the Hong Kong Cycling Team eight years ago, he is now a senior property and facility officer at Victoria Harbour. Despite ending his career as a professional athlete, Felix has never stopped looking for opportunities to improve. 

Switching to a new race lane while young

In his athletic life, Felix won the national championship, and as a representative of the Hong Kong Cycling Team in 2010 Asian Games, he won the third runner-up in the Asian Championship, just seconds from a medal. But at the height of career, he resolutely decided to retreat from the field and find another race lane in his life. "Many competitions are quadrennial, so after completing the Asian Games that year, I contemplated whether I should spend four more years on my cycling career," he said. "After all, being a full-time athlete requires a lot of training and competitions outside Hong Kong. As a result, I never got to spend quality time with my family." Finally, Felix decided to look for a new career path while he was still young. After retiring from professional sports, not only did he promote cycling in schools, but he also enrolled in property management courses, and has found property management as challenging and satisfying as being a professional athlete.    

A similar emphasis on team spirit

Felix regards team spirit as an indispensable element of both cycling and property management. In cycling competitions, team members have different roles to play, including 'sprinters', who excel at closely contested finishes, and 'windbreakers', who pave the way for their teammates. "Under the tactical arrangement, even if you know you may not be the one who stands on the podium, everyone still strives to help his teammates win. This is because we understand that the success of the winner is equivalent to the glory of the whole team. Similar teamwork is required on the property management team, with different colleagues serving in various capacities, ranging from security and cleaning to engineering and customer service, so as to maximize the complementary effect of teamwork to provide tenants with a comfortable, prime living environment. This kind of unity at work is similar to what I experienced as part of a cycling team over the years," he said.

Passing on the torch and nurturing a new generation of cyclists

Working in the property management industry does not mean that Felix has given up his cycling dream. Now, he still participates in local amateur tournaments. And in 2016, he founded SHKP-Supernova with a group of other retired professional cyclists. SHKP-Supernova looks for potential young talent from all parts of the community. These young athletes are trained to be Hong Kong’s cycling elite, receiving professional coaching and support from SHKP-Supernova to participate in local and overseas competitions. In just four years, SHKP-Supernova has grown into a team of 40 people, while nine of whom have become members of the Hong Kong Cycling team. In addition to holding the posts of team leader and coach, Felix acts as a 'nanny', driving his team to competitions and picking them up afterwards. He said, "I enjoy being a mentor to young people, accompanying them as they grow and helping them progress. This is because my predecessors have always given me a helping hand, both when I was on the cycling team and now as part of the Hong Yip family. Therefore, I always hope to pass on this attitude to the next generation."