End of the road for middle distance star

REIGNING Queen of the Road Maggie Chan Man-yee will not be able to defend her crown in the three-race series as she is scheduled to continue her studies in the United State in January.

Maggie, the territory's star woman middle distance runner, will only be available for the opening race scheduled for November 27. The other two rounds in the three-leg series are on January 8 and February 26.

'I am in Hong Kong only until the end of the year,' said Maggie, who has been offered a full scholarship by the Brigham Young University in Utah.

'I'll probably leave for the US in late December and it's a pity that I will not be here for the second and third races, but my studies come first.' Maggie made international headlines at the Asian Junior Track and Field in Manila last year when she became the first foreign runner to be invited by renowned Chinese coach Ma Junren to join his training camp in Liaoning.

The 18-year-old has made two stints to Liaoning where she trained with Ma's world beaters, including world record holders Wang Junxia and Quo Yunxia.

Maggie's departure for the United States will see her miss the opportunity to compete against two of her Ma's Army teammates with the final leg of the King and Queen of the Road series being extended to international scale this year.