Asian Games 2023: Malaysia pip Hong Kong to team squash gold, Bailee Brown sixth in women’s triathlon
- Hong Kong’s Tong Tsz-wing edges Rachel Arnold in marathon first match of women’s team squash final before Malaysians win the next two contests
- Bailee Brown drops out of medal contention on gruelling run in Hangzhou on Saturday, while Hong Kong’s equestrian team make strong start to eventing competition
Hong Kong were beaten 2-1 by Malaysia in their women’s team squash gold-medal match at the Asian Games on Saturday.
Earlier, Hong Kong’s Bailee Brown finished sixth in the women’s triathlon.
Squash
The first match of the women’s team final was an epic affair. Hong Kong’s Tong Tsz-wing twice trailed Rachel Arnold before coming back to prevail 7-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6.
It was far more straightforward in the second match, which Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam won comfortably, seeing off Ho Tze-lok 11-5, 11-8, 11-6.
The third was another close battle before Aifa Azman outlasted Chan Sin-yuk 11-5, 11-8, 11-13, 11-8, giving Malaysia gold and Hong Kong silver.
Triathlon
Brown just didn’t have the legs to challenge for a medal, finishing a credible sixth after being in the medal places following the 1,500m swim and 40km bike, but the 10km run at the end proved a step too far.
Brown came home in 2 hours, 4 minutes and 28 seconds, in a race won by defending champion Yuko Takahashi of Japan, who crossed the line in 2:01:04.
There was hard battle for second between Chinese pair Lin Xinyu and Yang Yifan, with just a minute separating them. Lin took silver in 2:01:30, and her compatriot came home in 2:02:31.
“It was tough. The run was one of the most interesting runs I have ever done,” said Brown, who took mixed-relay bronze alongside Hilda Choi Yan-yin, Law Leong-tim and Wong Tsz-to in Jakarta in 2018.
“I had to work a lot on that bike to try and stay away. I did my tactics right but I had nothing in the tank in those last four laps, but that is racing, and I cannot be too disappointed.
“I gave what I had on the day and the top six is all right.”
Roller skating
Vanessa Wong said it might be time to retire after coming sixth in the final of the women’s 10,000m point-elimination race – but that doesn’t mean she’s hanging up her skates for good.
The Hongkonger finished well behind Chinese Taipei pair Shih Pei-yu, who took gold, and silver medallist Yang Ho-chen. South Korea’s Yu Garam claimed bronze.
With nowhere to practise in Hong Kong, Wong has spent the past five months training in Europe for the competition in Hangzhou.
“I’m going to keep skating, for sure, but I’m thinking about retiring from representing Hong Kong, but I still want to do some skating in Europe, because I really love skating,” Wong said. “I’ve been skating since I was four years old.
“I’m probably going to take a little break this winter, but I think I’ll just keep my fitness, because I don’t want to be fat. I want to stay in shape.”
Equestrian
Hong Kong’s equestrian team made a strong start in the eventing competition, with Patrick Lam and Annie Ho sat in fourth after Saturday’s dressage stage.
Both picked up 28.30 penalty points at the Tonglu Equestrian Centre, and Ho, riding Jockey Club Highdown March, said her horse had been “brilliant”.
“We didn’t really know what we were going to have because she was quite ill coming here on the journey,” Ho said.
“I didn’t ride her for five days. I rode her three days ago for the first time and hopefully we believe in our system at home and training and when we get here we can pick it up and go.”
