London, England: When Sarah Lee Wai Sze was chosen to carry the Hong Kong flag into the Olympic Stadium at the opening ceremony on July 27, many sports fans back home were surprised at the decision of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China. But the 25-year-old cyclist justified the faith in her by racing to a sensational bronze medal in the women’s keirin at the Olympic Velodrome in the Olympic Park on Friday night.

Lee, who was chosen to carry the flag because of her recent achievements and her potential, finished third in a nail-biting finish behind gold medal-winner Victoria Pendleton of Great Britain and China’s Guo Shuang. Lee’s recent achievements include 2010 Asian Games 500m time trial gold and sprint bronze in the Guangzhou Velodrome.

It was Hong Kong’s first medal of the London Olympics, and Lee saw the Hong Kong flag at close quarters again during the victory ceremony. Iran also won their first medal of the London Games, a bronze for 21-year-old 2011 world champion Rostami Kianoush in the men’s 85kg weightlifting.

Elsewhere on Friday, China won two more gold medals, through Dong Dong in the men’s trampoline of the gymnastics competition and Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei in the badminton mixed doubles. Kazakhstan won a fourth gold medal, and third in weightlifting, thanks to Svetlana Podobedova in the women’s 75kg competition with a total of 291kg, a new Olympic record.

Korea won two more gold, also, completing an individual archery double with Oh Jin-hyek in the men’s competition at Lord’s Cricket Ground, and the men’s sabre team of Gu Bongil, Won Woo Young, Kim Junghwan and Oh Eunseok. India added a silver medal to the bronze they won earlier in the shooting competition when Vijay Kumar finished second in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol.

India has now won a shooting gold in Beijing and silver and bronze in London. At the end of Day Seven, China was overtaken by USA at the top of the medals table after another dominating performance in the pool. USA closed with 21 gold medals and 43 in total, ahead of China with 20 gold and 42 in total. Korea was third with nine gold and 16 in total.