YAP Kai-tak ran the race of his life to win the Arafura Games 1,500 metres in Australia yesterday and lead a Hongkong rush for medals. The territory's top miler, Yap cruised to victory at Darwin's Marrara stadium in four minutes 0.28 seconds to better the Games record by more than six seconds. His run, also a new personal best for Pacers club athlete Yap, was the highlight of the opening night of the Games' track and field competition. But there was more glory for Hongkong in both the men's high jump, with Chang Yiu-ho taking silver, and in the women's triple jump, where Li Chun-nei also struck silver. Chang cleared a height of 2.05 metres, which was short of his best, to finish behind South Australia's Daniel Wiseman. But, according to HKSI head athletics coach Garry Brown, who is accompanying the team, Chang only just failed with an attempt at 2.13 metres. Li, of Watson's club, leapt 11.98 metres - well down on the Hongkong record of 12.23 she set in Manila two weeks ago. The versatile Li also took the women's long jump bronze medal in the Thailand Open championships in Bangkok earlier this month. The Darwin showing gives a major boost to the territory's Watson's Water/Hongkong Sports Institute Elite Programme scheme, whose athletes were competing together for the first time. There could be further good news for the Hongkong team in the sprints, with top woman sprinter Justina Ng and, in the men's competition, Hau Yiu-chung and Lai Tung-sing reaching the 100 metres finals.
