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Triathlon

Hong Kong Junior Triathletes dominate U19 Asia Championships in Singapore

Super League’s Junior Female Enduro winners – Cade Wright, Bailee Brown and Tallulah Wright (from left to right). (SLT)

The future are our children, and indeed the up and coming future professional triathletes were not left out of the Super League Triathlon in Singapore recently.

The day got off to a sky-high start with the U19 Asia Championships race where talented 16 to 19-year-old athletes from across the world completed three rounds of swim(300m)-bike(4km)-run(2km) with no break.

Both Junior Racing categories were dominated by athletes from Hong Kong who took all spots on the podium.

Mayumi Shinozuka in the running segment of the Super League Female Enduro. (SLT)
Emma Middleditch on her bike in the Super League Female Enduro. (SLT)

Junior Race Female winner Bailee Brown from Hong Kong shared, “The elites are those who we look up to, to race what they are going to do is amazing, I feel their pain! Enduro is tough, tougher than a Triathlon, it’s short it’s fast, the elites are going to smash it later and I can’t wait to watch.”

Describing her race experience, Singapore’s Herlene Yu who came in fourth after Cade and Tallulah Wright from Hong Kong, said “The race was brutal, but as I ran past, the supporters were cheering me on and that kept me going.”

“I saw a gap (between me and Tallulah), so I was just trying to use this as an advantage, trying to close the gap. I couldn’t really see what time is it, I was just trying to put all my attention in catching up with the gap (in front of me)”. continued Herlene Yu.

Super League’s Junior Male Enduro winners – Nicholas Tsang, Jason Ng and Robin Elg (from left to right). (SLT)
Lucian Alejo and Nigel Ng beginning their run for the Super League Junior Male Enduro. (SLT)

In the Male Junior Race, Jason Ng set a blistering pace going first into transition. Nicholas Tsang chased hard but it was not enough to catch up, while Robin Elg placed third in the Hong Kong podium lockout.

Ng, who was ecstatic to take the victory in such an impressive fashion, said, “Since the first race in Hamilton island, I’ve watched every single one; all the live racing, all the highlights and all the interviews. To come to an event with the pro athletes is amazing.”

Minister Grace Fu (in black) with Team Singapore and SportCares athletes before the commencement of the Super League Team Relay Enduro. (SLT)

Following the Junior Race was the second Team Enduro Experience featuring a total of 24 teams – three from Sport Singapore. Team Singapore athletes including 2006 and 2010 Asian Games gold medallist and 2008 Olympian Tao Li, 2012 & 2014 Asian Netball Championships gold medallist and current captain of the National Netball Team Charmaine Soh.

The third team was led by Guest-of-Honour, Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, with Thaslim Hajanajubudeen, a SportCares athlete; and Team Singapore swimmer Lee Mei Shuang.

On her swim, Tao Li said, “I think the race is pretty fun and tough, especially since I haven’t trained for at least 3 years! It’s my first time swimming in the open water and its very different from what I’m used to in a pool where everyone has a lane. Here, everyone is fighting. We hope we’ve inspired someone, maybe fellow Singaporeans, to participate in the next edition or in similar multi-sport events.”

Ahmad Arif Ibrahim exiting the water in The Super League Relay Enduro. (SLT)

Sport Singapore CEO, Lim Teck Yin, also commented, “I think it’s an excellent event, particularly because the format is exciting to watch – the elites and the professionals – and it’s hard enough to challenge people who want to participate. We’re very proud that Super League Triathlon was incorporated in Singapore, so you could say that this is a Singapore event! The aspiration is to make it global will certainly excite both the local community as well as triathlon fans all across the world.”

Yesterday’s winners, Team APS, sealed their place as overall winners of the weekend’s Team Enduro. Not tired out by the previous day’s performance, they beat out competition from New Moon KH Cycle #2 and Tanglin Trust School Team 1 who finished second and third respectively.