After several turbulent, life-changing years which led to his departure from the national squad, triathlete Ivan Lo Ching-hin has regained his peak form. As he celebrates his second continental championships medal, he has set his sights on the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The 23-year-old Hongkonger was a swimmer and runner at primary school, and started to combine the two sports with cycling in Primary Six. He entered the Hong Kong triathlon youth team when he was in Form Four at Diocesan Boys' School.
'Even though I entered the junior squad, my results were not outstanding. I could win prizes in local competitions but not at international events,' Lo says.
Upon completion of Form Five in the 2008-09 school year, Lo decided to further his studies in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Lo finished high school there and entered the University of Canterbury in September 2010. He was coached by New Zealand triathlon national team member Clark Ellice.
Lo describes the training in Christchurch as 'enjoyable'. 'Unlike Hong Kong, the training programme there is more flexible. Coaches and athletes can be friends and neither side would have a higher class. Simply put, our city is putting the traditional school's classroom mode into national team training, which I really hate,' says Lo.