Asian Games 2022: rower Winne Hung struggles to lose pounds in her quest to tackle lightweight events in Hangzhou
- Now 64kg, Hung needs to be below 60kg if she wants to take part in lightweight events but says she has tried and failed to lose weight
- Chiu Hin-chun wins men’s singles and doubles at the Hong Kong Championships in Shek Mun while Thomas Chan finishes second in both
Rower Winne Hung Wing-yan faces a major challenge to keep her body weight down as she sets her sights on the 2022 Asian Games, having made her Olympic debut in Tokyo earlier this year.
Racing in the women’s open singles at the Olympics, Hung can target the same event for Hangzhou 2022 or switch to doubles – the only event at the Asian Games and Olympics that allows a lightweight category. Hong Kong athletes are generally more adept at the lightweight races where they can avoid competing against heavier and more powerful rivals.
“I’m trying to take off some weight to make the lightweight requirement of under 60kg,” said Hung, who took part in her third local competition after the Olympics in Sunday’s Hong Kong Championships in Shek Mun.
“But unfortunately, even after some changes to my diet, I still failed. It’s not that easy because you must control your body weight through your eating habits on a constant basis. Once your mind is not strong enough, your body will put the weight back on.”
Now 64kg, Hung said she may have to choose the open singles in Hangzhou. After all, she did it once already at the Olympics where she finished 23rd out 32.
“The internal selection for the 2022 Asian Games will begin in the next two weeks and we will then decide which events for which rowers. Let’s see,” said Hung.
Hung did not take part in either the singles or doubles at the Hong Kong Championships but instead entered the eights and quadruple sculls.