Hong Kong Athletics Series: schoolboy long-jumper beats the adults, closes in on 8 metres
- Lin Ming-fu, who will finish school this summer, wins despite being fatigued after his efforts in a recent junior competition
- With a place at University of Hong Kong already assured under the city’s athlete admission scheme, Lin is eager to start training full-time
Schoolboy Lin Ming-fu continued his rise to prominence by winning the men’s long jump at the Hong Kong Athletics Series 2, and said he hoped to threaten the eight-metre mark at the city championships next month.
The 18-year-old – who last summer became the first Hongkonger to qualify in a field event for the World Athletics U20 Championships – came within 19cm of that distance on Sunday at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground.
He finished first with a fifth jump of 7.81 metres, with Ma Ka-ho coming second with a personal best of 7.67 and Wong Pak-hang placed third with 7.49. Tsang Yuk-pui, 16, finished sixth after equalling the city’s under-18 record of 7.21.
“I’m so happy with today’s result, even though I’m not feeling fresh,” said Lin, who 10 days earlier set a PB of 7.89 – a new Hong Kong under-20 best – while competing in numerous events in a local schools meet.
“I hadn’t recovered from the school competition, so that fifth attempt really surprised me and my coach,” the sixth-former said. “It proves that the 7.89 wasn’t just luck, when even though I’m so tired, I can still make 7.80-something.”
