Hong Kong sprinter Ng Ka-fung to seek help from China’s Su Bingtian – the fastest man in Asia
- Ng will travel to Shenzhen to train with track star under American coach Randy Huntington until the Asian Games in September
- Ng shares 100m Hong Kong record with Tsui Chi-ho and was a member of 4x100m relay at 2012 London Olympics
Hong Kong 100m record holder Ng Ka-fung is to train with Asia’s fastest man, China’s Su Bingtian, ahead of the Asian Games in Hangzhou later this year.
A joint venture between the Association of Athletics Affiliates (HKAAA) and the Chinese Athletics Association has made the training camp in Shenzhen possible, and Ng will travel to mainland China once he has obtained permission to do so.
However, because of the coronavirus pandemic, only 600 people a day are allowed to cross the border on a first-come-first-served basis, so it could be several days before he can make the trip.
Su, who set an Asian record 9.83 seconds at the Tokyo Olympics last summer, was part of the Chinese Olympian delegation that visited Hong Kong early last month.
“The two athletes discussed it first before Su referred the plan to the Chinese Athletics Association which then asked for our views,” Simon Yeung Sai-mo, senior vice-chairman of the HKAAA, said. “We always support our athletes taking part in high-level training and we all know the quality of Su. This will be an excellent opportunity for Ng to raise his standard.”
The training camp, which will last until the Asian Games in September, will be paid for by the Hong Kong Sports Institute, where Ng is a full-time athlete, and the athletics association.
“It’s not only Ng,” Yeung said. “We currently have long jumper Chan Ming-tai for a training camp in France while race walker Ching Siu-nga is in Japan to prepare for the Asian Games. Any athlete that considers raising their standard through overseas training opportunities are welcome.
