Warriors or wimps? Hong Kong gymnasts leave comfort zone for a Spartan adventure in the outdoors
Kelvin Ng is joined by fellow gymnast Stone Shek and karatedo athlete Jimmy Lee in gruelling outdoor challenge
Sipping on a freshly cracked coconut at the beach on a balmy afternoon is typically what athletes dream of doing during the off-season – but not Hong Kong gymnast Kelvin Ng Kiu-chung.
The 26-year-old still rings specialist will swap chalk for mud as he and some of his national teammates compete in this Saturday’s Spartan Race that separates warriors from wimps.
“I know there will be ropes, running and a lot of climbing,” said first-timer Ng. “My coach doesn’t know about this yet, but we’ll be careful.”
Ng will be joined by fellow gymnast Stone Shek Wai-hung and karatedo athlete Jimmy Lee Ka-wai as the trio prepare to face literal hurdles and brick walls at Kam Tin Country Club in Yuen Long.
They will compete in the Spartan Sprint, a 6km race featuring more than 20 signature obstacles, plus a secret obstacle. The Spartan Super is a gruelling 13km and has more than 25 obstacles.
“We gymnasts only compete for a maximum of 70 seconds – it’s an explosive performance – but the Spartan will be all about endurance,” said Ng, who is locally known as the ‘Prince of Still Rings’.
The athletes are still very much in the training groove, having recently performed at the National Gymnastics Extravaganza, where spectators were treated to top-class routines and even a bit of showboating from Ng.