Asia Triathlon Cup: Paris Olympics and Asian Games spots at stake as city’s triathletes take on region’s best
- China to send men’s Asian Games bronze medallist Li Minqxu and top woman Lin Xinyu to race at Plover Cove
- Hong Kong’s Oscar Coggins facing battle to get to second Olympics from Jason Ng and Wong Tsz-to
The Asia Triathlon Cup returns to Hong Kong after more than four years next weekend and the city’s triathletes won’t just be battling for a spot on the podium, there are also Olympic and Asian Games places at stake.
With selection for the latter to take place by April 14, and with qualification points for the 2024 Paris Olympics also up for grabs, there will be plenty to race for at Plover Cove.
While Oscar Coggins was the city’s sole representative at the Tokyo Games in 2021, finishing 33rd, head coach Andrew Wright said there were now three legitimate contenders for a slot at next year’s event, with Jason Ng Tai-long, and Wong Tsz-to also in the running.
“It’s a good sign for us, because the last time only Oscar had the chance to get an Olympic spot, and this time, we have three to fight for it, we hope that in the future, our depth will be wider,” Wright said.
Which is not to say the talent available is small, with Hilda Choi Yan-yin and Bailee Brown also potential Olympians in the women’s event, Hong Kong has a stable of triathletes ready to take on some of the region’s best.
Those five will form part of a 30-strong squad that will go up against the likes of China’s Li Minqxu, the men’s individual bronze medallist at the 2018 Asian Games, and Lin Xinyu, the leading Chinese female on the Paris Olympic qualification rankings.
