Sculler rocking boat on veterans
UNKNOWN sculler Chau Chau-yau is threatening to push seasoned internationals Chiang Wing-hung and Lui Kam-chi out of a place in the Hiroshima Asian Games rowing team.
Chau, a 29-year-old who joined the national rowing squad only eight months ago, has developed into the territory's second fastest sculler behind expatriate Matt Richardson.
National coach Chris Perry is faced with a difficult task in picking hin the canoe squad for a short time some years ago,'' said Perry. ''He is a very strong and talented sculler and he has been clocking better times than Chiang and Lui in the individual trials.
''I would prefer to take all three to the Asian Games with one of them being the reserve.'' The HKRA must submit the Asian Games team to the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee by June 10 but Perry would like to wait until after the Commonwealth Championships in August.
Lui and Chiang, the doubles team at the Barcelona Olympic Games, have already beaten the qualifying standard set by the Hong Kong Rowing Association for Asian Games selection. But Perry wants them to try-out with Chau.
Perry also has a hard task in selecting the coxless fours although the triallists have been narrowed down to six - Cheung Wing-chung, Lo Shing-yan, Chung Chi-lok, Kwong Wai-lun, Chan Kwok-leung and Wong On-chi.
''These six rowers are involved in some very brutal seed racing, it's all very competitive and they really have to fight to stay in the team,'' said Perry.
However, Perry has no trouble with the women scullers with Ho Kim-fai and Malina Ngai Man-lin being the only ones up to the standard.
