Pursuit team off the pace at National Games despite new record
Fastest four-kilometre time ever not enough to get near medals at National Games
The Hong Kong men's pursuit team recorded their fastest time ever in the four-kilometre track race but still failed to make it to medal round at the National Games.
The same quartet who won an Asian Games silver medal three years ago - Cheung King-lok, Cheung King-wai, Kwok Ho-ting and Choi Ki-ho - clocked four minutes and 6.76 seconds in Shenyang yesterday. They will take on Sichuan to decide seventh place today.
"Our previous best time was 4:07 at the All China championships and that's why the riders were so happy when they crossed the finish line," coach Shen Jinkang said. "We could have done even better, but the team members have to race in other events, so they could not go flat out.
Shandong set a national record of 4:01.88 and will meet Shanghai for the gold medal today.
Cheung King-lok, Choi and Kwok are all key riders in the individual road race along with veteran Wong Kam-po, while Cheung King-lok and Kwok will compete in the time trial and omnium respectively.
"The team pursuit will be our major target at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, next year as there will be only one China team there," added the coach. "Their time today will boost their confidence."
Windsurfer Michael Cheng Chun-leung moved to third place overall in the men's RSX in Dalian after two excellent results yesterday. After two days of light wind, Cheng took advantage of stronger wind and conditions with which the Hong Kong sailors were more familiar to register a win and a second in his fifth and sixth races. Andy Leung Ho-tsun moved to 11th place after winning race six. Hayley Chan Hei-man is 11th in the women's RSX.
In the badminton competition, Hong Kong men's team were beaten 3-1 by Beijing in their final group match and could now compete for the 5th-8th place play-off.