Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3196245/asian-youth-athletics-championships-teen-sprinter-bags-double
Sport/ Hong Kong

Asian Youth Athletics Championships: teen sprinter bags double bronze on record-breaking day for Hong Kong squad

  • Hong Kong team finishes with record eight medals after bagging four bronze on final day
  • Double triumph for Peach Li who is the first from city to win three medals at a single championships
Hong Kong’s athletes won eight medals at the championships in Kuwait. Photo: HKAAA

Teen sprinter Peach Li Tsz-to bagged two bronze medals on a record-breaking day for Hong Kong’s athletes at the Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Kuwait.

Li finished on the podium in the girls’ 200m and again in the 1,000m mixed relay on Sunday, and alongside the bronze she previously claimed in the 100m became the first Hong Kong athlete to win three medals at a youth championships.

With Yiu Pak-yu also taking bronze in the boys’ long lump with a personal best leap of 7 metres, and the boys finishing third in the medley relay on the final day of the competition, Hong Kong’s athletes bagged a record eight medals, winning one gold, one silver and six bronze.

The city’s previous best performance was in 2017, when the team claimed two silver and three bronze. Hong Kong hosted the last championships in 2019, when the squad won one gold and two silver, matching the success in 2015.

Li’s performance was all the more impressive considering the 16-year-old has been suffering from an infection in her right eye. But that did not stop her setting a personal best in the 200m, coming home in a time of 24.79 second.

Vanesa Valentin of Indonesia topped the podium in 24.06, with Athicha Phetkun of Thailand taking silver in 24.48, with the trio finishing in the same positions in the 100m final on Thursday.

“I’ve been waiting to break under 25 seconds for more than a year, I did it in a local club meet in September [24.81 seconds], and I can better the time here [in Kuwait] in 24.79, it’s a very encouraging sign,” Li said.

“I did not expect any medals before the trip because it was my first overseas trip, and to end up with three bronze medals was a surprise and I was so happy with it.”

Hong Kong team won a bronze in the girls’ medley relay (from left) Peach Li, Serena Tang, Tiffany Jia, and Chloe Pak. Photo: HKAAA
Hong Kong team won a bronze in the girls’ medley relay (from left) Peach Li, Serena Tang, Tiffany Jia, and Chloe Pak. Photo: HKAAA

With less than an hour’s rest, the teen sprinter competed in the 1,000m mixed relay and took the final baton to finish the relay with a 400m run, crossing the finish line in 2 minutes, 17.97 seconds.

Tiffany Jia Wai-yin ran the 100m leg, followed by hurdle gold medallist Chloe Pak Hoi-man’s 200m, Serena Tang Cheuk-man’s 300m, and Li’s 400m. India and Thailand finishing first and second in 2:12.18 and 2:14.38, respectively.

“The relay is difficult to handle because it is less than an hour after my 200m finals, not only because I was tired, but also because the distance [400m] is not my strength, but I don’t want to let our team down, so I ran my best, and I am thrilled to add a bronze medal to the Hong Kong team,” Li said.

Yiu Pak-yu leapt 7.00 metres to claim bronze in Kuwait. Photo: HKAAA
Yiu Pak-yu leapt 7.00 metres to claim bronze in Kuwait. Photo: HKAAA

The teen sprinter has already set her sights on more success at the Asian U18 Championships in Uzbekistan in April next year.

“These three medals gave me a lot of confidence, and even though the next U18 Asians aren’t far away, I dare to set a target of three gold medals,” Li said.

Dennis Ng Yu-ho, the Hong Kong team manager, said officials were “very excited and satisfied” with the results achieved by the young athletes.

“Aside from the medals [1 gold, 1 silver, and 6 bronze], many of them achieved personal bests in this championships, and the experience gained this year should be very useful for them,” he added.