Asia Triathlon Cup: Hong Kong’s National Games squad survive tricky Japanese test

Head coach Andrew Wright said he was living on his nerves as Hong Kong’s leading triathletes tackled a treacherous course in the Asia Triathlon Cup in Japan on Saturday.

The sprint race in Gamagori, which doubled as a test event for next year’s Asian Games, was the city team’s last run-out before they head for a five-week altitude camp in Yunnan to prepare for the National Games in November.

After falling off her bike in last month’s Asia Championships in Istanbul, Bailee Brown survived the sodden conditions to come home 12th.

National Games medal hopes Robin Elg and Oscar Coggins were fourth and sixth, respectively, in a men’s race won by Japan’s imperious Takumi Hojo. New Zealand pair Saxon Morgan and Henry McMeking finished second and third.

The 20-kilometre bike leg was staged over three laps, each featuring five U-turns and 12 90-degree turns.

“It’s the most technical bike course I’ve seen for triathlon,” Wright said. “With the rain and white lines, there were lots of accidents … I was so nervous throughout both races that one of our athletes would come down.”