Some of the territory's top junior track stars will get a rare chance to learn from China's coach Ma Junren, at a two-month training stint in Liaoning, starting in June. Three years ago, Hong Kong's best middle-distance runner, Maggie Chan Man-yee, became the first runner from the territory to train under the controversial coach. She said it was a rewarding and invaluable experience. Now, the territory's junior athletes will have a chance to learn the methods which have made Ma one of the best-known mainland coaches. Chan's coach, former track star Yip Kai-tak, initiated the move to get young athletes to train under Ma, who shocked the world when his runners won three titles at the 1993 World Championships. Ma's methods to whip his athletes into shape can be described as brutal. Most of them run a marathon - 49 kilometres - a day. He also puts their success down to a diet of turtle's blood. Yip asked Ma whether it was possible to send the territory's junior track stars to his training camp in Liaoning when Ma was in the territory last month. Ma had two of his young runners in the adidas King of the Road series, at a 10 km race at Tin Shui Wai. In that race, female runners Wang Xiaoxia and Yin Lili swept past the opposition to cross the line together in a performance Ma described as little more than a 'Sunday jog'. He boasted that his runners would have beaten the leading Hong Kong men had they wanted to. The Hong Kong junior squad to go to Liaoning has not been named yet, but it is certain to include Lee Yin-yee, fresh from her success at the Coca-Cola Junior Sports Stars Awards. The 17-year-old is being tipped to succeed Chan as the territory's top female distance runner, after shattering her record in the 800 m two years ago. Yip, who will also go to Liaoning, said his charges would face the strictest training of their lives. 'I must ask my athletes whether they are ready to go to such training. Ma's athletes will be getting ready for October's All-China Games so they will be expected to pick up their training. 'I don't want any of my athletes to embarrass themselves while under Ma. 'The training in Liaoning will stand our junior athletes in good stead for a meeting in Japan in late August and for September's Singapore Open,' said Yip.
