Hong Kong triathlete Brown suffers injury setback as city stars begin National Games push

Bailee Brown has suffered a setback in her recovery from a serious finger injury that means she will miss this month’s season-opening Asia Triathlon Cup race in Malaysia.

Hong Kong’s leading female triathlete, Brown had hoped to compete in Putrajaya, two months after she fell while on a training run and fractured and ripped open her right index finger. During emergency surgery, she had floating bone removed from the finger, which had bent to a right angle, and needed 15 stitches.

Brown underwent a second surgery following complications with her recovery, and needs one more operation before she can resume training.

Andrew Wright, the Hong Kong triathlon head coach, said the best-case scenario for Brown, who has remained “fit and in good shape”, was a return to “proper” training in six weeks.

That would leave her precious little time to prepare for the Hong Kong-staged Asian Sprint Championships, on April 5, which will double as a selection race for November’s National Games, where Brown is targeting a podium finish.

“Such a high-level athlete can get fit very quickly and [assuming a smooth recovery], she is likely to be on the start line [for Asian Sprint Championships], although she will struggle to compete for a medal,” Wright said.