Hong Kong track and field athletes hoping to complete last week of quarantine in training centre ahead of National Games
- September’s National Games in Xian will be the main target for track and field athletes after they missed out on the Tokyo Olympics
- Olympic fencing gold medallist Edgar Cheung will head Hong Kong’s challenge, along with track cycling star Sarah Lee
Local track and field officials are trying to negotiate with mainland authorities to have their athletes complete quarantine for Covid-19 at training facilities in Shenzhen instead of being confined to their hotel rooms or other quarters ahead of next month’s National Games in Xian.
Hurdler Vera Lui Lai-yiu, high jumper Cecilia Yeung Man-wai, long jumpers Chan Ming-tai and Yue Ya-xin are all in Shenzhen serving quarantine in a designated hotel while marathon runner Christy Yiu Kit-ching is in Zhuhai serving the same purpose. They can serve their last week of quarantine in home confinement, totalling 21 days of quarantine.
“The athletes have to go through a three-week quarantine in China before they are allowed to take part in the National Games in Xian,” said Hong Kong Association of Athletics Affiliates vice-chairman Simon Yeung Sai-mo. “The first two weeks they must stay in a designated quarantine hotel while the final week they can serve their quarantine in home confinement.
“We have contacted a training centre in Shenzhen where they could provide our athletes accommodation as ‘home confine’ and at the same time allow our athletes to train there. But unfortunately that plan was turned down by the street authority where the centre is located. We have been asking for help from both the Hong Kong and mainland authorities and hopefully the matter can be resolved.”
