Hong Kong’s most promising triathlete to surrender British passport in chase of Olympic dream
Prodigious talent Oscar Coggins targets Asian Games and Tokyo 2020 after win at Asian championships
Labelled Hong Kong’s best chance of triathlon success at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Oscar Coggins is preparing to surrender his British passport to live out his dream of representing the territory at the highest level.
Fresh off his first place in the junior men’s category at the Asian Triathlon Championships in Indonesia at the weekend, Coggins, who turns 18 in October, hopes to have a Hong Kong passport in time for next year’s Asian Games, also in Indonesia.
“To be able to represent my country at the highest level is what you dream of as a kid,” he said. “It would be amazing to have that opportunity.
“I need to surrender my British passport and I need to be 18 to do that, so we’re starting the process as soon as possible to try to hopefully be in contention for an Asian Games spot and, past that, the 2020 Olympics.”
Andrew Wright, who coaches Coggins, was full of praise for his charge, highlighting his huge potential and saying he is Hong Kong’s “best hope for the 2020 Olympic Games”.
Coggins was the only Hong Kong athlete to earn a place on the podium in any of the junior or senior categories in Palembang, rating his effort as among the best wins in his career.