Hong Kong triathlete blasts organisers as Asia Cup ends in farce when 22 athletes are disqualified in Lantau race

In an unprecedented finish, the first 22 athletes to cross the finishing line in the men’s event of the ASTC Sprint Triathlon Asian Cup in Lantau on Sunday morning were disqualified after taking a shorter route in the first turn of the run.

All the athletes, including three Hong Kong representatives headed by Oscar Coggins, were in the leading pack which made a premature turn during the first lap of the two-lap, five-kilometre run, the last discipline after a 750-metre swim and 20-kilometre bike ride.

An official said the pack ran about 250 metres shorter after missing the correct turn.

On the second lap when they reached the same point, they were told by marshals to go straight for the correct turn, but when they arrived at the finishing line, all 22 athletes were disqualified.

Coggins, who finished ninth in the pack, said the decision to disqualify them was ridiculous.

“It’s just poor organisation,” said the 19 year-old, who missed the Asian Games this summer due to delayed paperwork of his Hong Kong passport application. “In my opinion it’s all the organisers’ fault. The course was not marked and nobody knew where to turn as there was one cone there and then nothing. We were directed to turn early by a marshal.