Hong Kong triathlete Hilda Choi looks to Asia Cup in National Games quest
While most leading Hong Kong competitors skip the Asia Triathlon Cup in Dexing on Saturday, Hilda Choi Yan-yin has opted to compete in a bid to boost her National Games medal chances.
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The 2018 Asian Games bronze medallist will join Cade Wright in a skeleton women's city team in mainland China this weekend. A five-strong men's quota will not feature any of top trio Oscar Coggins, Robin Elg or Jason Ng Tai-long, who are all being held back for a World Cup race in Chengdu next month.
'Racing would not be conducive to them delivering their best World Cup performance,' head coach Andrew Wright said. 'They need a consistent training block, with no travel, tapering or recovery.'
After a continental sprint championships a fortnight ago in which Choi, 31, finished 24th in the individual race and struggled on her relay leg, Wright said his athlete 'had a bit of a shocker'.
Cade Wright in action during this month's Asia Triathlon Sprint Championships in Hong Kong. Photo: Eugene Lee
'She executes swims well in sessions, but not in races,' Wright said. 'It's productive to send her to every race where the swim is going to be fast.
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'For her and Cade, the biggest gap to the best National Games athletes is the swim. If they close it, they'll be in the race on the bike, then the run takes care of itself.'
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