Veteran Lai shows she can still rule the roads

Marathon runner Lai Ka-wai gave the younger women a lesson in distance running yesterday with a sensational victory in the Hong Kong 15km Challenge at Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung Country Park.

The 39-year-old from Tai Po seldom competes in local road races due to the demands of her assistant manager's job with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, in which she oversees the running of a half-dozen sports grounds in Kwun Tong, but when she does compete, she runs to win.

Lying just off the pace with 1km to go, Lai closed in on junior runner Yiu Kit-ching and snatched the lead with 300 metres to the finish line and sprinted home to victory in a good time of one hour, three minutes and 42 seconds. The 19-year-old Yiu followed Lai over the finish line just nine seconds later to set a junior Hong Kong record for the distance of 1:03:51.

'I'm training for the Dubai Marathon in January, so this race fitted nicely into my training programme,' said Lai.

In the men's event, Gi Ka-man retained the title he won on his 23rd birthday in January this year. He took the outright lead shortly after the turnaround point at 8km and crossed the line in 51:49.