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. World champ awaits Hong Kong rower Hung after repechage success “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. Winne Hung out of Olympic trials for failing to make weight “I haven’t competed in team events for a long time and it’s a good opportunity to test my ability to work together with my teammates,” said Hung, who won the gold in the eights and silver in the quadruple. In the men’s event, Chiu Hin-chun won the open singles and doubles with Chan Yuk-man, while his Hong Kong teammate Thomas Chan Chi-fung finished second in both events. Chiu clocked six minutes and 45.37 seconds in the singles, which was also his personal best over the 2,000-metre course. “Even though we cannot travel overseas for competitions, we have been doing a lot of training and fitness exercises at home and may be that’s why I had such a good result today,” said Chiu, who raced in the lightweight doubles in the Rio Games but failed to qualify for Tokyo. “I have already put the Tokyo campaign behind me even though it was a huge disappointment and I am looking forward to the Asian Games,” he said. “But there will be no lightweight singles in Hangzhou next year as the Chinese organisers follow the Olympic format. I have to work with my coaches to find out what will be the best for me and the team.” Meanwhile, Chan Chi-fung was disappointed that his appeal in the doubles was dismissed, accusing other rowers of violating the rules by taking part in both the doubles and quadruples. He refused to accept the winning trophy. Chan, who finished far behind Chiu in the singles by 30 seconds, said he was exhausted after competing in five events and was unable to recover in time for the singles.