Thailand Open Track and Field Championships: Hong Kong jumpers lead medal rush
- City wins nine medals in the first two days, with all three first-place finishes coming in long jump and high jump
- Ko Ho-long says he has learned how to approach big leaps after winning long jump with a PB, while Phoebe Chung makes winning return to international arena
Hong Kong’s athletes have shone at the Thailand Open Track and Field Championships, with Ko Ho-long winning the long jump after a personal best and confidently declaring that a “big jump” is in his reach.
Ko, 24, took first place with 7.87 metres – 9cm better than his previous best – when the championships in Bangkok began on Monday, ahead of Janry Ubas of the Philippines with 7.72m and Tien Trong Nguyen of Vietnam with 7.53m.
“I’m very happy with the result,” Ko said. “One week before the event, my knee had some unknown problems and I had an MRI scan, but the report was not out before my departure, so I treated this as training.”
“I’m quite satisfied with Rolf’s guidance – I can see progress in my leaps, and the way he trains us suits my body and my lingering injuries,” Ko said, explaining that training was shorter but much more intense.
“I found that consistency improved when we trained in Europe. I jumped some decent distances [in meets] there, and although some of them were foul jumps, it gave me an idea of how to approach a big jump, which I’m sure isn’t far away.”
