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Paul McNamara

Hong Kong’s triathletes have been told they have a “responsibility to step up” when their Asian Games qualifying chase accelerates in mainland China on Saturday.
Andrew Wright, the head coach, has deliberately set the qualification bar high, with his athletes needing a podium finish, and to come home ahead of their teammates, at the Lianyungang Asia Triathlon Cup leg to book their ticket to September’s Games. There is extra incentive in that Lianyungang offers the first opportunity to bank 2028 Olympic qualifying points.
“We want the same thing from all the athletes, which is to be competitive and fight for Asian Games auto-qualification,” Wright said.
“They should be relatively fit by now, they’ve had a lot of warning since we released the [Asian Games qualifying] criteria, so it’s everyone’s responsibility to step up.”
Of the city squad’s big guns, only Robin Elg and Cade Wright are missing from the races in Jiangsu. Plagued by a shin complaint since last November’s National Games, Elg is targeting a return for June’s Asia Super Sprint Championship, which both doubles as Hong Kong’s last Games selection race, and offers a bundle of Olympic points.
“He’s training well and in good spirits, but we’ll decide [whether he competes next month] closer to the time,” Wright said. “If other athletes do well and get the auto-qualifications, there might not be a spot for him because he hasn’t done any of the races.”

Like Elg, Cade Wright, who is no relation to the coach, also sat out the first qualifying race, a World Cup leg in Chengdu a fortnight ago. She will be free from her university commitments back in Scotland in time for the sprint championship in Xuzhou.
“It’s not ideal, nor what’s best for performance, but she’s got used to [juggling sport and study],” Andrew Wright said.
“The positive side is that after this weekend we’ll have her all the way through to the Asian Games. That’s the longest unbroken period I’ll have coached her.”
Although Cade Wright has left herself a single shot at gaining direct entry to the blue-riband Asian event, she delivered a compelling example of her big-race credentials at last year’s National Games. The 22-year-old placed fourth in the individual competition, then summoned a fabulous opening leg for Hong Kong’s silver medal mixed-relay team.
“She’s shown she can step up in major Games and deliver, which is important, but everyone is facing the same scenario,” Wright said. “They auto-qualify, or it’s out of their hands and we’ll look across all the recent races.”
The best of the Hong Kong bunch, Oscar Coggins, was laid low by illness for a week after the Chengdu World Cup, but barring any setbacks he will be on the start line in Lianyungang.
“It was touch and go whether he would race, but he’s seemed to recover OK,” Wright said. “He lost 1½ weeks of work but, sometimes, you come back stronger; your body adapts to all the training you’ve done. The main consideration this weekend was that racing wouldn’t jeopardise his health.”

Jason Ng Tai-long is poised to compete for the first time in six months, while a host of the city’s emerging triathletes are among a field Wright said would be “stacked with good athletes”. China are also employing the event as an Asian Games selection race.
“Last year, you could turn up to these continental cups and quite easily challenge for a podium, but now it’s hard to get into the top 10, which shows how the sport is developing,” said Wright, who challenged his inexperienced squad members to “put together solid races”.
“A lot of them are good across all three disciplines in training, but none of them have shown that in competition yet,” Wright said.
“I’ve asked all the athletes to treat this race like an Asian Games; to put pressure on themselves to do everything to get their best possible result. That’s their job and what they’re funded to do.”


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Hong Kong triathletes told to ‘step up’ in Asian Games qualifying hunt in China

Oscar Coggins, here at the National Games last year, was laid low by illness for a week after the Chengdu World Cup, but barring any setbacks he will be on the start line in Lianyungang. Photo: Eugene Lee

Oscar Coggins (right) and Robin Elg in action at the men’s individual race at the National Games triathlon event in November. Photo: Eugene Lee

Jason Ng (centre) is poised to compete for the first time in six months in China. Photo: Elson Li

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Oscar Coggins, here leading Robin Elg on his way to National Games bronze, is trusting in an increasingly familiar process for the World Triathlon Cup leg in Chengdu on Saturday. Photo: Eugene Lee

Oscar Coggins needs a top-20 finish in Chengdu to secure his Asian Games spot. Photo: Eugene Lee

Jason Ng, here during last year’s Asia Triathlon Sprint Championships, is nearing full fitness. Photo: Eugene Lee

Sport

Hong Kong

City squad poised for continental cup leg in Lianyungang, podium finish could seal spot at Games while Olympic points also up for grabs


City squad poised for continental cup leg in Lianyungang, podium finish could seal spot at Games while Olympic points also up for grabs.


Hong Kong triathletes told to ‘step up’ in Asian Games qualifying hunt in China

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}City squad poised for continental cup leg in Lianyungang, podium finish could seal spot at Games while Olympic points also up for grabs

City squad poised for continental cup leg in Lianyungang, podium finish could seal spot at Games while Olympic points also up for grabs