Sizzling sprint double sets Tang up for Doha

Tang Yik-chun underlined his status as Hong Kong's fastest man with a gutsy double in the men's 100m and 200m in the Hong Kong Athletic League final at Wan Chai Sports Ground yesterday.

The talented 19-year-old, who last year set a Hong Kong 200m record of 20.94 while still a junior, raced away from the field in the same event yesterday morning to record 21.62 and an easy victory. In the afternoon he took the 100m title after a timely dip at the finish line saw him home in 10.62. Lau Yu-long and record holder Chiang Wai-hung were both awarded the time of 10.68, but Lau was surprisingly awarded second place after starting from lane one.

'I'm very happy with my performance today and it's very pleasing to win the sprint double,' said Tang. 'This is certainly a confidence-booster for my preparation for the Asian Games in December.'

Chiang, too, will be an important member of the Asian Games squad in seven weeks' time. The 10-person team was announced last night after the meet.

However, now that Tang, who much prefers 200m, is beating Chiang in the shorter sprint, it seems only a matter of time before the younger man claims the 100m record as well.

The ever-reliable Wan Kin-yee cruised to victory in the women's 100m in 12.13. Chan Ho-yee and Leung Hau-sze fought bravely for second place, and Chan got the nod over Leung by just .01 of a second.