Hong Kong triathlete Ng wants to ‘put on Olympic show’, targeting Paris after stellar 2023 removes performance burden

Jason Ng wants to use the momentum from a successful year when he resumes his battle for qualification to Paris Games

Triathlete taking part in wind tunnel and aerodynamics projects as part of his training schedule

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Jason Ng hit back from missing an Asian Games medal by claiming silver at the 2023 Asian Sprint Championships. Photo: SF&OC

Published: 10:00am, 25 Dec 2023

Jason Ng Tai-long wants to “give Hong Kong fans a show” at the Paris Olympics, after claiming an Asia Triathlon Sprint Championships silver medal in November.

Ng, who is neck-and-neck with Ayan Beisenbayev of Kazakhstan in the chase for Paris qualification, was unhappy with his fifth-place at September’s Asian Games.

But the Hongkonger rebounded magnificently two months later, becoming only the second male triathlete from the city to finish on the podium in the sprint race.

“That result took a huge weight off my shoulders,” Ng said. “However well I perform and feel in training, if it is followed by an average race, you begin to doubt yourself, and think the good feeling in training only amounts to coming in the top-10 in an Asian championships.

“Now, there is no feeling of ‘what if?’ I have no worries and know I can do it. I can show up knowing I achieved a podium in an elite Asian competition. I can go hard from the gun and stay with these guys.”

‘Chilled-out’ Ng does not interact with his head coach as much as teammates. Photo: Hong Kong Triathlon Association

Ng is among the triathletes flourishing under the stewardship of head coach Andrew Wright. Teammate Robin Elg, the Asian Under-23 champion, won bronze in the season-ending event in Xiamen.