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Opinion | Drug-testing – or its absence – under scrutiny as thousands prepare for Hong Kong Spartan Race
Thousands will take part in this weekend’s event, but will they be competing on equal terms?
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Why you can trust SCMP
Thousands of masochists will take part in Saturday’s Spartan Race in Hong Kong, climbing over nets, wading through mud, dragging sandbags and the like in an effort to “push themselves to their limits” (and get some social media approval).
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Among them looks set to be Ivanov Lo Ching-hin, who finished fourth in the elite category when the event was first held in November 2016.
He’s one of those people for whom fitness is a way of life. His Facebook page is full of selfies of his rippling abs and videos of himself doing pull-ups shirtless. His most recent post was an image of his Spartan training schedule.
But it’s not just for show – Lo was one of the top triathletes in Asia, and Hong Kong champion from 2012 to 2015. He competed twice in the China National Games and once at the Asian Games, won the 10km race at the 2015 Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, the Hong Kong Cross Country Championships, etc, etc.
He would surely be a serious contender in Saturday’s event, the first leg of the inaugural Asia-Pacific Spartan Championships which has US$50,000 in cash and prizes.
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