World Triathlon Cup: Hong Kong Olympic hopeful Ng ‘very positive’ following hit-and-run, head coach Wright confident
- Jason Ng targeting crucial Olympic qualification points when he races in Sunday’s Hong Kong-staged World Triathlon Cup
- Fellow home triathlete Bailee Brown resumes her Paris bid in field containing main rival, Ekaterina Shabalina of Kazakhstan
Head coach Andrew Wright said Olympic hopeful Jason Ng Tai-long was “in a good place, and very positive” before Sunday’s World Triathlon Cup in Hong Kong, just weeks after the 24-year-old was hit by a bus during a training ride.
Ng is vying for crucial points this weekend, as he bids for a spot in Paris, on a Central Harbourfront course where he claimed silver at November’s Asia Triathlon Cup.
A strong 65-man field features the Hongkonger’s direct rival for an Olympic spot, Ayan Beisenbayev of Kazakhstan.
Ng suffered the training episode last month, but despite sustaining injuries to the left side of his body after being squeezed against a metal railing, and eventually landing heavily on his back, he resumed light training within a week.
Wright said Ng produced “one of his best-ever swim sets” a fortnight after his frightening ordeal, and was convinced the accident would not affect his performance.
“No matter who you are, it would probably knock your confidence a little bit,” Wright said. “But there is unlikely to be a triathlete on the Olympic start line who has not either fallen off their bike, or been knocked off.