Hong Kong’s triathlon course dubbed best in world at National Games test event
Test of the arrangements for November’s Games judged a success by city’s coach and athletes, while Shandong pair are winners on the day
This year’s National Games triathlon in Hong Kong will offer the best course in the world, the city’s head coach Andrew Wright said after day one of the harbourfront test event on Saturday.
Staging the event in November promised to do wonders for the sport locally, the coach suggested, while athlete Tallulah Wright anticipated a “phenomenal” Games and said a partisan crowd “pushed me harder” after her fifth place in Saturday’s women’s race.
“The Games is going to be awesome,” Andrew Wright said. “This is the best course in the world, and it’s going to have a big impact on the development of triathlon in Hong Kong.”
The test event did, however, underline the scale of the task for the city’s finest in November. Tallulah Wright was the best performer, with Hilda Choi Yan-yin finishing a place back in sixth, an effort matched by Wong Tsz-to among the men.
Shandong province supplied both of the winners. Zhang Xirui was first in the men’s race in 55 minutes and 56 seconds, and victory in the women’s event went to Yang Yifan, in one hour, two minutes and nine seconds.