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Paul McNamara

Head coach Andrew Wright says Hong Kong’s triathletes are on their last legs following a “brutal” year of training and competition.
Hilda Choi Yan-yin will be the city’s sole representative in Saturday’s World Triathlon Cup (WTC) race in Japan, her first WTC appearance since August 2023 after she suffered a serious finger injury on the eve of last year’s Asian Games.
Bailee Brown has withdrawn after failing to fully recover from the illness that laid her low following last month’s Asia Triathlon Cup event in Hong Kong. Like Brown, Mark Yu Shing-him sat out a WTC race in South Korea a fortnight ago and he, too, will miss Miyazaki this weekend.
“Mark is in a bit of a hole – he has never trained and raced at such a high level as this year, so he is just exhausted,” Wright said.
Oscar Coggins did compete in Tongyeong but sustained a race-ending calf problem early in the closing running leg.
Wright said Coggins’ decision to “pull the pin on the race” had limited the damage to a “grade-one strain, not something higher, which would take months of recovery”.
The injury represented a first hiccup on the comeback trail for Coggins, who was beginning to accelerate his return following a self-imposed lay-off to overcome physical and mental issues.

Wright “grilled [Coggins] and grilled myself over how the injury could have happened, because everything had been going so well”.
He discovered Coggins had stopped reporting to his physiotherapist for maintenance sessions. Consequently, after a “nightmare” 12-hour door-to-door journey to Korea, Coggins’ body failed him in competition.
“He completely tightened up [when travelling], so the calf was overtight and pinged,” Wright said.
“[Coggins stopping physio treatments] was probably overlooked by me, he’s done everything to a T and it’s been going so well. I guess he thought he was fine, because everything was good in training.
“Even the world’s best athletes need reminding to do the basics well. It was an important lesson and not a complete disaster.”
Hong Kong’s lone triathlete at this summer’s Olympics, Jason Ng Tai-long, has already brought down the curtain on his season. Ng’s teammates have gone deep into the year, Wright said, to try to accrue qualification points for significant races early in 2025. Fatigue has taken hold, however, with the promising Brown one of those affected.

The 24-year-old narrowly missed qualification for Paris, but joined Ng’s pre-Games camp, then resumed competition in late August.
“When you’ve had a year as long as ours, trying to consistently remain at a high level, it’s very hard to stay on top of it and not let injuries and illnesses creep in,” Wright said.
“We always test athletes to see how much training they can take, but we can’t risk their health. Illnesses are creeping in for Bailee and she wouldn’t get any value from racing this weekend.”
Wright said a number of his athletes’ “results in key training sessions have started to erode”.
“They have weekly blood tests and sessions that they quickly recovered from earlier this year, [that] they’re now not recovering from,” he added.
The “focus” for 2025 will be November’s National Games of China.
“We have to be really careful and not overdo it early, because we can’t be in this position in 12 months,” Wright said.
Coggins and Brown will be among five Hongkongers competing in next week’s Chinese national championships, but Wright said he would decide next week whether to limit the pair to the relay event, where points determining National Games start positions are on offer.
Choi will conclude her campaign in Japan. “It’s big-race experience for her, which means next year’s World Cups won’t seem so daunting and nor will the National Games,” Wright said.
“We’re trying to build confidence and reduce stress with these races.”


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Hong Kong Sports Institute

Exhausted Hongkongers on last legs after ‘brutal’ season, Choi going alone to Japan

Bailee Brown will miss this weekend’s World Triathlon Cup race in Japan. Photo: Elson Li

Hilda Choi (right) will be Hong Kong’s only representative at the World Triathlon Cup in Japan. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Oscar Coggins (middle) is set for next week’s China national championships after a calf injury. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong star Oscar Coggins fighting to save season following Korea World Cup injury blow

Oscar Coggins retains hopes of competing again in 2024, says coach Andrew Wright, possibly at the China National Championships in three weeks. Photo: Facebook/Oscar Coggins

 Wong Tsz-to is set to compete in Japan next month after coming 23rd at the Asia Triathlon Cup in Wuxi. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Hong Kong’s Coggins to race solo at World Triathlon Cup, illness hits Brown, Yu

Tokyo Olympian Oscar Coggins will be Hong Kong’s lone representative at Saturday’s World Cup race in South Korea. Photo: Xinhua

Bailee Brown is optimistic of overcoming illness in time to race in Japan next month. Photo: Handout

Jason Ng will not race until 2025 as he takes time to overcome his Olympic disappointment. Photo: Mike Chan

Hong Kong Olympian Jason Ng felt ‘lost’ after Paris woe, will take break from triathlon

Jason Ng endured a disappointing Olympic triathlon race in Paris. Photo: Reuters

Ng was fifth in the Asia Triathlon Cup leg in Hong Hong on Sunday. Photo: IG@jason_ng_tai_long

Oscar Coggins is making progress following his competitive comeback. Photo: Facebook/Oscar Coggins

Hongkonger has eyes on next goal after conquering her demons at Ironman World Championship

Ruby Cheng raises her arms in triumph after coming home in 12 hours, one minute and 51 seconds for 282nd place. Photo: Ruby Cheng

Cheng had a bad experience on her previous bike ride in Nice, but ‘conquered my fears’ this time. Photo: Ruby Cheng

Cheng is congratulated by supporters lining the road towards the Nice race finish. Photo: Ruby Cheng

Sport

Outdoor

Head coach Wright reveals National Games of China will be focus for 2025, says he ‘grilled’ Coggins after athlete suffered calf problem


Head coach Wright reveals National Games of China will be focus for 2025, says he ‘grilled’ Coggins after athlete suffered calf problem.


Triathlon