Paris Olympics: race to qualify will go ‘down to wire’, Hong Kong coach says, after Ng sixth at Asia Triathlon Championships
- Result keeps Hongkonger ahead of Kazakhstan rival Ayan Beisenbayev, but China’s Fan Junji jumps into contention with podium finish
- Japanese athletes take gold in men and women’s race, with Kenji Nener and Yuko Takahashi repeating their Asian Games double
Head coach Andrew Wright believes the race to qualify for the Paris Olympics will go “down to the wire”, despite Jason Ng Tai-long producing a career-best finish at the Asia Triathlon Championships on Sunday.
Ng’s time of one hour, 57 minutes and 45 seconds was only good enough for sixth in Hatsukaici, Japan, with Asian Games gold medallist Kenji Nener winning on home soil in 1:53:51.
The Hongkonger’s performance kept him ahead of Kazakhstan rival Ayan Beisenbayev, who finished in eighth, nine seconds back, but China’s Fan Junjie put himself in contention for the ‘new flag’ place they are all chasing by coming home in third.
Robin Elg has an outside chance as well, crossing the line three seconds behind Ng, while compatriot Mark Yu Shing-him was 10th, a further 22 seconds back.
With five weeks to go before the qualification period ends, Wright said he would need to go through the results on Monday before deciding on what the next steps should be.
