Double delight for Tang ahead of World Cup
Natasha Tang Wing-yung's delight at being picked to represent Hong Kong for the first time at the Asian Games was doubled when she found out she had won an Olympics solidarity scholarship last week.
The 18-year-old Tang, who will lead Hong Kong's challenge at the Panasonic Fina Marathon Swimming World Cup at Repulse Bay this morning, was still pinching herself yesterday and savouring her Asian Games qualification.
'It came as a total shock to me to win the Olympic scholarship,' Tang (pictured) said. 'It will now allow me to concentrate on realising my next big dream which is to represent Hong Kong at the London Olympics.'
Hong Kong's top female marathon swimmer will receive financial backing from the scholarship - believed to amount to HK$10,000 a month - which will help her in her bid to qualify for the 2012 Olympics where the open water event will be held on the River Thames. She failed to make it to the Beijing Games two years ago when open water swimming made its Olympic debut.
Tang and butterfly specialist Sze Hang-yu were awarded the IOC solidarity scholarships. It was only the second time that local swimmers had won backing from the international body.
'It is a huge accomplishment for Hong Kong swimming,' said Ronnie Wong Man-chiu, secretary of the Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association. 'Natasha and Hang-yu have been rewarded for their hard work.'
While the Olympics is her long-term goal, Tang has set her sights on making a memorable debut at the Asian Games in Guangzhou next month. She will take part in the 400 metres and 800m freestyle events.
'It is my first Asian Games and I hope I can do well. Immediately after that, I will also take part in the Asian Beach Games in Oman where I will swim in the 5-kilometre and 10-kilometre open water events,' Tang said.
Much to the dismay of Tang, there will be no open water event at the Guangzhou Games, although the world governing body Fina is working hard to ensure it will be at the 2014 Games in Incheon, South Korea.
Tang will today compete in a 24-strong field in the women's 10 kilometre event. Last year she won the Asian category in both the 10 kilometre and 5 kilometre categories and finished 13th overall.
Two others - Chan Ching-man and Cheng Yuen-yue will represent Hong Kong in the women's event and 11 swimmers in the men's event.
A total of 59 swimmers from 19 countries will take part in the international World Cup race. Organisers also expect more than 800 swimmers to take part in the 12th Hong Kong open water competition.
'It is a bigger field, both locally and from overseas, which goes to show the event is growing in popularity,' Wong said.
